Life As We Know It
by FHGVZEhyde
Summary: Marriage, Death Eaters, a prophecy, deaths, dissappearances, and one baby with green eyes. Life will never be the same for the marauders again. Finished!
1. Chapter 1: The Motorcycle

**Life As We Know It**

First in the Black & Brown series. Features the marauders after Hogwarts. Marriage, Death Eaters, a prophecy, deaths, disappearances, and one baby boy with green eyes. Life will never be the same again.

**Chapter One: The Motorcycle**

"_Oy_ James! Get your antlered arse out here!" Sirius called up to the house in which currently resided his best friend in the whole world, James Potter, and his newly fianced and impregnated girl of choice, Lily-soon-to-be-Potter.

James poked his head out of an upstairs window and looked out into the darkness, just barely able to see his friend by the headlights coming from whatever vehicle was behind Sirius down on the street.

Lily's face appeared next to James, silhouetted by the light coming from behind her. "Sirius Valentine Black. What the _hell_ do you think you're doing here at 3:00 in the morning? You're going to wake the neighbors!"

"Lily, that's precisely why I'm here. To disturb the neighbors!" Sirius yelled rolling his eye.

James snickered behind his hand. No one annoyed Lily quite like Sirius.

"All right you big stupid dog. We'll be right down." James called down before the two could start bickering two stories apart and disappeared back into his bedroom. Lily stood fuming for a moment, looking like she wanted to scream at Sirius, but she thought better of it and followed her fiancé.

Sirius watched with a motorcycle helmet tucked under one arm, as the couple appeared moments later in hastily thrown on jackets and pants.

"Oh my god. Sirius is that a motorcycle?" Lily stopped dead in her tracks, her anger forgotten.

Sirius smiled and fondly and patted the chrome handlebars. "Yup. Do you like it?"

James shook his head. "I thought you were up to your nose in debt mate, how can you afford this?"

"How about my Uncle Alphard kicked the bucket and left lots of money and now I have money to spare and decided to indulge a little. Sorry if I'm to free-spirited for you fun-killer."

James backed up, hands raised in surrender. "Okay, okay. Sorry I asked." Quietly to himself he muttered. "I am not a fun-killer."

A man came running out of the house across the street, the lights in the upstairs windows were turned on. Lily groaned, noticing that several houses going up and down the tiny lane had also turned their lights on.

The man muttered something and pointed his lit wand tip directly at the three marauders.

"You people again. And Mr. Black as well. I should have known it you making all of this ruckus. How are we supposed to sleep with causing a commotion every night."

"I do not cause a commotion _every_ night Mr. Branstone. Just most." Sirius said, folding his arms in front of him.

The old man shook his head and grinned at the energetic black-haired youth. "And I don't suppose you're even at all sorry for waking me, my wife, and our son?"

Sirius tapped his chin thoughtfully while he pondered his answer. "Uh…yes?"

"Yes what?"

"Yes I'm sorry I woke you and you're lovely family who would never hold a grdudge against charming and handsome young men?" Sirius asked hopefully.

Mr. Branstone simply smiled and started walking back towards his house. "You forgot brownnoser."

James smiled and threw and arm around Lily, who was trying not to show how amused she was. "Did you know that flatterers go to the eight circle of hell Sirius?"

"No Lily I did not. Thank you for telling me." Sirius turned back to the couple. "James, want to go for a ride?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

But Sirius would not be deterred. He asked James continually until James finally said yes the twenty-sixth time hew was pleaded.

Somewhat awkwardly James got onto the back of the bike with Sirius. Sirius hit the accelerator and started off down the street at a very fast and somewhat dangerous speed.

"Uh, Padfoot? The road ends here!" James yelled with horror but Sirius did not slow down, instead he sped up and laughed. Clutching onto the back of Sirius' jacket James suddenly realized that he was no longer on the ground and was roaring over the houses he had been afraid he would be splattered against.

Amazement crossed James' face and he laughed in delight. "Bloody hell Padfoot! You _might_ have mentioned it flied!" James yelled into his best friend's ear over the engine.

"What fun would that have been?" Sirius yelled over his shoulder.

Slowly and somewhat begrudgingly Sirius returned to the ground in front of a very exasperated, but astonished Lily. "So that's something no other motorcycle can do." She said with her arms crossed but her bright green eyes wide.

"Yep. Great isn't it?" James rolled off the bike and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"It sure is something Padfoot. Can I count on seeing you at the next meeting?" James asked. His face was still lit up with adrenaline from the ride.

"Of course Prongs. Have you ever known me to miss one?" Sirius asked, falling back onto the motorcycle seat with mock surprise.

Lily smiled. "No, but you have on occasion shown up smashed." Sirius scowled and James chuckled appreciatively.

"It only happened twice and I only plan on doing it a few more times, _if_ you don't mind." Sirius said with the utmost dignity.

Lily stared at him for a moment and then broke out into a wide grin. "God you have to visit more often, you always make me smile. I'll see you later then Sirius."

"Later Evans. Bye Prongs." Sirius waved as he swung his other leg across the and started the engine. With one last burst of acceleration the couple watched their closest friend disappear into the night.

* * *

The next Order meeting was on the 24th of December. Sirius arrived quite sober if not noisily on his new motorcycle which Arthur and Molly Weasley's kids ran almost immediately up to in order to admire.

Bill; the oldest at nine ran an admiring hand along the metalwork. "Wicked." He breathed out.

Sirius had to fight to control his laughter. The boy was almost old enough to start Hogwarts after all, no longer the small child he remembered and he would want to be treated as such. Sirius scowled remembering when his mother refused to acknowledge that age leap in his life.

_Black Mansion: 1969_

"_Hurry Sirius, we'll be late for the party!" Walburga Black yelled up the stairs. Her youngest, Regulus, was clinging to her robes and she impatiently batted his hands away. "Stop that Regulus, you'll crinkle the material."_

_Nine year old Sirius descended the stairs throwing his cloak around his shoulders and fastening the clasps with one hand while fumbling with his tucked-in shirt. "Do I have to wear this? The silver robes are a lot more comfortable and Aunt Druella said she thought it matched my eyes."_

"_Don't be ridiculous_ _Sirius, what a silly notion. That robe is completely inappropriate for such an event. Hurry or you'll make us all late."_

_Sirius felt his face blush deep red and he ducked his head. "Sorry mother."_

_Walburga Black turned to her oldest son. "Stop slouching, you look common."_

Sirius shook himself from his memories to watch Bill's younger brothers, Charlie and Percy attempt to approach the bike. They were both more tentative about the massive bike but eventually Charlie, who was seven, struck up enough courage to go and pet it much the way someone would pet a dog.

Percy on the other hand decided to keep his distance and suck his thumb. A nervous trait he had acquired as a baby Sirius remembered.

Remus Lupin was the next one out the door to welcome Sirius. The fellow marauder was holding another red-haired boy, whom Sirius did not recall, and was looking particularly ragged today. Sirius remembered that the full moon had passed only two days ago.

The boy kept tugging at the Remus' shoulder length tan hair and laughing when Remus winced.

With a smile Sirius shook hands with Remus while the other man attempted to juggle the little boy.

Handing Sirius the boy Remus leant over to admire Sirius' new prize. Within a few moments of looking and silent appraising, Remus stood up and nodded to Sirius with a toothy grin.

"It suits you. I like it." Sirius returned the smiled and adjusted the boy in his arms.

"Excellent Moony because you're going for a ride later."

Remus' eyes opened wide. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Not"

"Are"

"Not"

"Are"

"Okay boys, let's break it up. The meeting is due to start soon." Both men whirled around to find Molly Weasley with an identical red-haired boy to the one Sirius was carrying in her own arms.

"Oh, and by the way Sirius dear, these little trouble makers are Fred," she pointed to the one in his own arms. "And George." Indicating the boy that was clinging to her.

Fred let out a delighted giggle and screamed "Mooey!" while pointing at Remus. Remus looked absolutely appalled and Sirius started laughing.

Molly rolled her eyes and gestured her other children away from the motorcycle and back into the house. After all, it was time for the meeting to start.

* * *

Arthur Weasley left the Order Room rather quickly after they had adjourned. He needed to think about what had just happened.

His wife came out of the room next with a stupefied look on her face and leant against her husband. Finding her hand he clasped it in his own and wrapped his other arm around her shaking form.

Gideon and Fabian Prewett, his wife's brothers and notorious pranksters (second only to the marauders), had just been reported dead at the scene of a battle.

Arthur felt numb all over. Feeling his wife's warm tears soak into his shirt shook him more than the news had. His wife was one of the strongest and most capable people he had ever met. She could usually handle anything, but this news had shocked her to the very core.

Sirius, Remus, James, Peter, and Lily were the next to the leave the room and all of them gave Molly a hug. Molly clung to each of them, she knew how close Sirius and James had grown to be with Gideon and Fabian. In return the two Prewetts had seen themselves in the marauders and had invited the group into their lives. The loss of the brothers had hit them hard too.

All the Order mourned the loss of two very powerful young people who could have changed the world. Another young man would soon have his chance. But that's not until later in the story.

Soon after the Prewetts' death the Longbottoms, Frank and Alice, announced that they were to have a child and the due date was in August sometime. They were constantly arguing over what they should name the unborn child.

Sirius and James weren't helpful and kept throwing out hideous pure-blood names like Umbriel or Despina for a girl and Caliban or Deimos for a boy.

Eventually the couple decided on Neville for a boy after his grandfather, and Alicia for a girl after his mother. Sirius argued that Neville was no better than Deimos. Frank said it had character.

**Author's Note**:

Let me know what you think. I believe the story gets better as it goes along so review if you want to see the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2: In the Order of Love

Chapter Two: In the Order of Love 

Things had quieted down a lot since the deaths of Gideon and Fabian Prewett. The funeral had gone very well and after several weeks of mourning Molly was back to her old self.

Bill was the only one of the Weasley children who really understood what was going on and locked himself in his room for two days after the funeral. When Arthur did finally manage to coax Bill from his room the nine-year old could not be parted from the stuffed phoenix toy that Gideon had given him for his seventh birthday.

Surprisingly Arthur came in as the backbone and supported his family throughout the whole ordeal. He made them meals, cleaned the house, and still managed to find time for his job at the ministry.

James and Lily finally announced their wedding date. It would be on April fool's Day. Not only would it celebrate their wedding and a holiday that the marauders had religiously followed, but also the twins' second birthday.

Lily's stomach had begun to show and her hormones were also off the wall. She would have fits at the worst moments possible about the smallest of things. Most of the time she went off at Sirius or James but Remus and Peter got their fair share when they were around.

After much pleading from James, Sirius had deigned to move into the Potter residence. Sirius then in turn convinced Remus to move in although the werewolf spent much of his time away from the house.

Today James was heading off to the auror offices for a meeting leaving Sirius with an extra-annoyed Lily.

Sirius was not pleased. "James! Don't do it! Please I'm begging you, don't leave me!" Lily was dragging Sirius towards the shelves by the collar.

James watched from the doorstep wondering if he should rethink the whole "baby" thing.

"Get the Bertie Bott's now! I need them. But only the green ones. No, no. The orange ones." Lily demanded shoving Sirius onto a step ladder. Sirius whimpered and James ducked out of the house as fast as he could.

Within the hour Sirius had combed every last shelf and cupboard in the house on Lily's commands to find the orange sweets. He found purple, green, red, black, and white ones of varying flavors. Every color there could possibly be was in that house as Lily often had cravings for the brightly colored sweets and James had simply stored them away, but now it seemed they were out of orange.

Lily didn't take the news well.

"Well go to the store and get me some!" Lily hollered and actually kicked Sirius face first onto the sidewalk and locked the door behind him.

"Well that's just plain rude." The animagus picked himself up and dusted his robes off. "The store is two miles away and is hidden in a muggle neighborhood. I can't very well apparate there. And not in wizard's robes either."

Sirius looked up to the sky and without really addressing anybody in particular he cursed loudly for a good two minutes using some very colorful and maybe a few made-up words about hormonal women and babies and especially about James leaving him alone with said hormonal women.

Shrugging off his robes he set off at a walk to the store in a t-shirt and jeans. Sirius was just turning the corner when it began to rain.

Two hours later Sirius reemerged from the growing typhoon shaking the droplets of rain from his shaggy black hair and handed a bag to Lily who greedily tore it open in her search to find the sweets.

Sirius collapsed into an armchair near the fire hugging himself. "Yeah, go straight for the pretty candy while I'm literally blue with cold and shivering."

"You know Padfoot, talking to yourself is the first sign of mental instability." Sirius whirled around to find James watching a savage Lily tear through the plastic wrapping bemusedly.

Sirius growled and changed into a big, black, bear-like, dog and tackled James to the ground and pinned him there. Sirius changed back into a man, not moving from his position on James's chest, to draw out his wand and point it's tip between his friend's eyes.

"Now Padfoot be reasonable." James tried to squirm out of the way but Sirius' jinx hit him anyway and James' hair turned bright blue with hot pink highlights.

Sirius giggled delightedly, obviously proud with himself. "You look like my cousin Tonks. You know the 8 year-old who keeps dying her hair different colors."

James scowled and flipped over efficiently pinning Sirius beneath him and the wrestling match that ensued knocked over a lamp and the coffee table without Lily noticing.

The boys called it a draw and sat up, both panting from the effort when Sirius heard a little noise. "Um, actually Sirius, do you think you could get me some blue ones. I meant blue, not orange. I thought you would know that."

James turned to Sirius. "Yeah Padfoot, everyone knows orange means blue."

Sirius collapsed with a groan and Lily turned to James expectantly who backed away up the stairs. "Maybe later Lily baby."

The front door opened and Remus came in, shaking water from his umbrella and jacket. Folding the umbrella under his arm he took out a packet of Bertie Bott's Beans. Popping an orange one into his mouth he smiled. "I do love orange. Has anyone gone to the store to get some more orange-flavored ones yet? I think I cleaned them out yesterday."

The next Order meeting was in January and Lily had resumed her usual bossy self to plan excessively for the wedding.

The guest list held such names as Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, all six of the Weasleys, Lily's family who were muggles, and all of the remaining Order and several school friends and non-magical friends from when Lily had gone to muggle school.

The meeting, although originally planned to be about devising a new strategy to set up guards at Diagon Alley, was mostly girls giggling at pictures Lily had brought showing her wedding dress and what the bride's maids would be wearing.

Also Molly Weasley was surrounded by women as well because she was once again pregnant and due at the beginning of March. Molly explained about delaying the revealing charm and how she had just found out that she was almost two months pregnant.

Sirius was carefully avoiding the women in the room and he, Remus, and James were sitting at the long table used for group discussion chatting idly with Alastor Moody and Albus Dumbledore.

Sirius eyed the Daily Prophet sitting on the table and snatched the paper up just as James made to grab it. "Aww, Padfoot, that's not nice." James lunged for the paper and Sirius held him off with his foot while flipping the paper open.

"Hang on Jamie. Just checking the Ballycastle Bat scores."

Remus smirked. "Bet they lost to Puddlemere United." Sirius scoffed and ducked as James made another lunge for the paper.

"My team can kick your team's arse any day of the week Moony." Sirius' gaze fell onto a random page and for some reason his eye fell to the obituaries. "Huh, my dad died yesterday."

James grabbed the paper from Sirius and looked at the article. "Yeah I guess so. How does it feel to be the Black heir with an entire vault full of gold waiting for you?"

Sirius snorted. "Yeah right. I still have to go through my mum and she would rather give it to Regulus than me. I don't exist to the Black family anymore. I was blasted off remember?" James nodded and Remus just chuckled.

"I remember you showing up at James' door in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm looking like a wet rat." Sirius whacked him upside the head with an open palm. "That was a very emotional day for me Moony and I thank you not to make fun of my feelings."

"Oww, well you still have the heirloom ring right? The ring worn only by the senior child member of that family?" Remus asked pouting and rubbing his head.

Sirius nodded. "I put it in my personal vault with my Uncle Alphard's money he left me."

James clapped a reassuring hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Don't worry mate. The old hag has to die someday right?"

Sirius laughed. "It'll be the happiest day of my life." Lily wandered over and scolded Sirius while absentmindedly lifting James' arm for measurements.

Lily, who had good foresight, had brought along a tape measure knowing this would be the only chance she got at having all the men in the ceremony's measurements for their suits.

Unfortunately some members of the Order were not as cooperating as she had hoped. She had to chase Sirius and Remus down. Both men had different reasons why they didn't want to wear tuxedos and yelled them over their shoulders as they careened down the narrow halls.

Remus complained that he didn't like restricting clothes and Sirius demanded that because he was the best man his suit should be different. Apparently different to Sirius meant tie-dyed.

They both split up at a corridor intersection and Lily had opted to chase Remus, who she cornered and poked and prodded at for nearly an hour.

A half an hour after that Sirius was found hiding in the garden and was been dragged kicking and screaming by James and Arthur into the kitchen to get his measurements taken. There, Sirius had been pushed onto a chair and poked, much to his discomfort.

"Take it a little easy with that needle Evans." Sirius squirmed as Lily plunged another needle into his pant leg.

"Hold still Sirius or do you want your suit to be lopsided?"

"Is that a trick question?"

**Author's Note:**

Hee hee. Lily _and _Remus have candy fetishes

Next chapter: a wedding!

Please review.

6


	3. Chapter 3: I Do Hereby Solemnly Swear

**Chapter Three: I Do Hereby Solemnly Swear**

"Stop fidgeting Padfoot. You're making me nervous." James tapped his foot on the ground and pulled his sleeve up to check his watch.

Sirius tugged at the collar on his tuxedo. "Do I have to wear this? I hate confined clothing."

James rolled his eyes. "I though that was Remus' excuse. Sirius, you are my best man and need to look it. All right?"

"Fine, although I'm sure Moony isn't the only man in the whole world who hates confined clothing." Sirius said with a pout and started playing with his bowtie.

Remus came in and abruptly stopped Sirius and then straightened and tightened the garment for his friend himself.

"How do you how to do that?" Sirius asked, looking himself over in the floor length mirror.

"My dad taught me when I was little." Remus replied off-handedly turning to James and fixing his buttons, which James had out in the wrong holes.

"Thanks for being a groomsman Moony." James said with a faint quiver in his voice. "I can't ever remember being this nervous before."

Moony smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it Prongs. I'm here and the mangy mutt is here and Wormtail is somewhere. Probably bugging Lily's sister."

James raised an eyebrow. "Why would he be bugging Petunia?"

"Because I bet him three sickles he couldn't get her to go out with him." Sirius answered with a smirk. Before James could reply Dumbledore stuck his head into the room.

"We're ready for you now. James you may go up to the altar and Sirius and Remus, come with me please."

"Don't worry about it mate, that's why we had the rehearsal." Remus whispered as he left the room with Sirius who nodded and grinned. "Yeah you didn't fall then so why should you fall now?"

James took a breath, feeling his insides tighten. "Thanks Padfoot. That makes me feel so much better."

* * *

James waited at the altar in front of an enormous crowd of people trying to not sweat off his cologne. He was just about to walk back up the aisle when the music started.

The first one down the aisle was Sirius with a scowling Petunia Evans on his arm. Sirius looked so miserable that James had to fight not to crack a smile. It looked like Petunia wanted to crack Sirius' arm in half she was holding it so tight. She must have found out who put Peter up to hitting on her.

Remus was after Sirius escorting Molly Weasley up the aisle and Peter followed right behind him with Alice Longbottom. After them came Arthur Weasley with Hestia Jones and then the ring bearer, Bill Weasley, and the flower girl, Nymphadora Tonks. Seeing their lips moving James could guess they were counting off the number of steps.

By the time everyone was in position, James was literally shaking and Sirius, Remus, and Peter all gave him a grin and a small nod.

The wedding march started and Lily came down the aisle with her father escorting her. Even with her pregnant belly she looked like a red-haired goddess. She had opted for a golden colored dress and with her red hair James could have sworn he watching the spirit of Gryffindor come down the aisle toward him

The ceremony started. The couple took their vows, each confessing their undying love for each other. Beneath her veil Lily's eyes were sparkling.

Then came the hard part. Lily went first saying that she would, indeed take James as her husband. Then, unfortunately, it was James' turn.

"Do you, James Tertius Potter take this women, Lily Claire Evans, to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to hold in sickness and in health, 'till death do you part?"

James opened his mouth to say yes when his mind froze. It took a few moments for Sirius to realize what had happened and he looked at Remus. Remus shrugged, unsure what to do. Murmurs were starting in the seats. Remus made a go-on motion with his hand.

Sirius coughed while at the same time nudging James in the back with his elbow. James came back to with a start. "I do hereby solemnly swear to marry this women."

Sirius snickered quietly and Remus smirked. "That's the only way for a marauder to marry." Sirius whispered in his ear.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow but raised his arms above the couple and said, " I now pronounce you man and wife." They were already kissing before he had finished his sentence.

* * *

The after party was in full swing. Sirius had collected his three sickles from a very putout Wormtail and James had spiked Moony's drink when he wasn't looking. No one had realized Remus could dance so wildly.

At the slow songs a very shy Bill danced timidly with Nymphadora Tonks who was a year younger than him. The young Weasley's face was as red as his hair and they kept looking anywhere put at each other.

Andromeda, her muggle husband Ted, and their daughter had been invited on the pretenses that Andy was the good one in the family and had always stuck up for Sirius when he was younger and couldn't defend himself from his older cousins. She was Sirius' favorite cousin and hat tutored Lily in Transfiguration in her third year.

James and Lily were dancing closely with their heads bent together near the center of the dance floor. Sirius was dancing with Caroline Brocklehurst, a Gryffindor, whom he had dated for several years during school, before breaking James and Lily apart and stealing the bride for a song.

Peter walked around the room with Remus, his small watery eyes kept darting about the room, mostly looking at the women, and he was sweating profusely.

At the stroke of midnight there was very loud cheering from the corner tables as a cake was placed in front of the newly turned two twins. In his celebration George accidentally knocked Fred's face into the cake.

Fred retaliated immediately with a handful of icing that he flung at his twin and before either parent could get a word in edge-wise there was a full blown food fight in which the marauders, as full grown adults, joined in joyously and just as energetically as the twins.

After that mess had been cleaned up it was decided that as the best man, Sirius should make a speech on behalf of James and Lily. Sirius was not quite so eager.

"Uh, actually. I don't have anything planned. I don't know what to say." Sirius hurriedly whispered to James as Remus forced him up onto a chair so that the entire room could see him.

"Say whatever you want so long as you don't mention anything particularly illegal. I had to get married today so don't you dare tell me you're nervous about making a speech."

Sirius swallowed nervously but kept his mouth shut for his own benefit. James pulled Remus back and held him up as the werewolf swayed a bit on his feet.

"Um, well hello." Sirius smiled as the crowd around him laughed. "I guess I had better say something then. Uh…James and Lily have known each other for a very long ten years. They didn't actually get on speaking terms until about four years ago." There was some chuckling and Sirius continued with newfound momentum.

"They love each other very much and would do just about anything for the people they love. They accepted me into their home and I can tell you it's a lot better than my previous dwelling."

There was some general booing for the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, most noticeably from Andy and Ted Tonks.

"These two can't wait for their child to come into this world and I know I can't. This kid had better have some of Lily's gorgeous looks or that is going to be one hell of an ugly baby."

A lot of laughing, it was an open bar so maybe people were a little giddier than usual.

James poked Sirius in the back with his wand. "That wasn't very nice." The bespectacled young man pointed out. Sirius shrugged and continued, pretending not to notice James' fuming.

"This group of ours is so close we feel like our own miniature family that I'm sure that he or she will be raised with as much love as any person could ever be." There was a lot of clapping at this point.

Lily swallowed and tried very hard not to cry, it might have just been the hormones.

Suddenly James jumped up onto the chair and put an arm around a surprised Sirius.

"Can you believe this git actually said he had nothing prepared and then he goes and says all those very nice things about me and Lily." Laughter. Sirius smiled and blushed a little.

"I didn't have anything prepared you prat. All improvisation, take that speech lessons."

More laughter especially from the pureblooded people present who had to go through the same horrendous speech lessons as children.

"Ok, ok Padfoot, but me and Lily have something to announce and I think you're going to like it." Sirius raised an eyebrow looking suspicious. "You say that a lot James Potter and I don't always find that true."

James smiled and said in a loud voice to gather attention back to himself. "Lily and I have agreed, if he accepts to the responsibility, for Sirius to be our child's godfather."

Sirius fell off the back of the chair in a dead faint.

* * *

"It was the word responsibility that knocked him shaky, let me tell you." Sirius struggled awake to Moody's gruff voice. "Ain't never had any responsibility 'afore and that was a little too much for him to handle at one time."

Sirius opened his eyes and was met with a bucket of water being dumped on him.

"Merlin that's cold!" Sirius sat up spluttering and shaking water from his hair, in the process splattering a laughing James and Remus, a bewildered Moody, and a guilty-looking Lily who was standing over him with a bucket in her hand.

"My bad Sirius. I was trying to wake you up. I didn't know you were already awake."

Sirius smiled roguishly and Moony pulled him up. "Yeah well, I shouldn't have passed out. I was just asking for trouble." Everyone laughed and the events of before suddenly triggered in the back of Sirius' mind.

Slowly he turned to James. "Did you just ask me what I think you asked me?" James suddenly looked very serious. "Yes, let's go talk outside."

* * *

The two marauders sat outside in the alleyway throwing a muggle bouncy ball back and forth between them. Why Sirius had such a thing in his tuxedo pocket, we'll never know.

If Lily had been there she would have told them not to mess up their new clothes by sitting on the filthy pavement, but Lily wasn't there.

Finally Sirius sighed and caught the bouncy ball. Rolling it around in his palm he looked up. "Why'd you pick me? Moody's right you know. I'm not Mister Responsible. Moony would have been a much better choice as back-up parent."

James picked himself up and dusted off his pants. "First off I've seen you when someone you care about is in trouble. You may slack off and be a lazy bum the rest of the time but when it comes down to the line you are a perfectionist. You were the first one done with your animagus transformation and you got it perfect. Besides you're an auror-in-training and you're one of the fastest wands in the whole department, you should see the senior aurors look at you. They're envious of your ability and that ability is going to keep my child safe."

Sirius flicked his head back and smiled that annoying little half grin that made him look five years younger and made the girls swoon.

"Very flattering Prongs, but what about Moony? He's brilliant when it comes to DADA, I still don't understand, why me?"

"Because Moony, in case you forgot, is a werewolf and not safe around people once a month."

"Oh. Yeah."

James laughed. "I can't believe you forgot about that!"

"Sorry, I'm a forgetful person. What about Peter?" James wrinkled his nose. "Well Peter is a great friend but he doesn't exactly scream parent in my mind, you know?"

Sirius nodded understandingly. "Yeah. So since you presented your case so Slytherinishly I accept your offer." The two friends embraced for a brief moment and walked back inside.

As Sirius opened the door James stopped. "Slytherinishly, did you just make that up?

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "And what if I did?"

**Author's Note:**

There you go, the Potter wedding where Harry first sees a picture of his parents and Sirius.

Next Chapter: A Savior is Born!

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4: A Savior is Born

**Chapter Four: A Savior is Born**

All the buzz about a spy in the Order was making everyone very uptight. Remus found himself jumping at every little sound and he was drawing his wand before he answered the door at night.

James didn't want to say anything but Lily had confided in him that she though it might be Remus who was the spy.

At first he had dismissed the idea as ridiculous, but then again. Voldemort did tend to have werewolves among his Death Eaters. Look at Greyback for instance.

Sirius didn't seem to notice any of the tension and was his usual lazy self but James found himself being extremely careful in Remus' presence and he didn't like it at all.

Remus was one of his closest friends after all. Peter was acting overly paranoid but they cast it off as nervousness.

* * *

Molly and Arthur's newest baby was born shortly after the wedding on March 1st and they had named the little boy Ronald Bilius Weasley, after his uncle who had died not to long ago.

He carried the trademark Weasley hair and freckles. Fred and George were absolutely fascinated by him.

"Were we that wittle?" George poked Ron's foot.

"Yes dear, leave your brother alone."

"Nah, Won is too wittle." Fred poked Ron's head, making Ron scrunch his face. Molly slapped his hand away. "Leave your brother alone and go bother your father." The twins ran from the room to climb on their father's lanky limbs.

* * *

'_Life at the office is becoming unbearable_.' Sirius thought miserably. Lucius Malfoy kept strutting around announcing the birth of his son, Draco.

'_Now, the git doesn't even work here but he likes to come and watch us work. Is that it? Why the hell would he name his son Draco anyway? I swear Purebloods have no idea how to name a child. Stop gloating you moron! Wait, oh no, he's coming over here!'_

Lucius Malfoy, can swinging and fur robes swishing, paused in front of Sirius' office. Leaning against the door frame Lucius began to talk without invitation, ignoring Sirius' glare.

"Ah Black, the noble Malfoy line continues eh? Draco Malfoy will be a powerful boy mark my words." The smile was fake, as was any sentiment behind the statement.

Sirius smiled politely and turned back to his work. He was not in the mood to get in a fight today. He had too much bloody paperwork to do.

It would appear that Lucius was not done however, seeing as how he had not gotten the reaction from Sirius that he wanted.

"May the day June 5th be forever remembered as the day the Malfoy heir came into being." Lucius strutted away with a smirk on his face finally satisfied with seeing Sirius turn in his chair, his face red.

What he didn't know was that Siriuds' face was red from the effort not to laugh directly into Malfoy's face and simply wait until he had turned the corenr.

As he collapsed against his desk with a bark-like laugh, he thought '_I actually feel bad for the kid, being born with such a big-headed prat like that for a father.'_

* * *

It was nearing the end of July; actually it was the last day of the month, the 31st. James was scrambling around the house looking for his shoe with his tie flapping around his neck, while Sirius and Remus looked amusedly on.

"Have you checked the bread box Prongs?" Remus offered, grinning a toothy smile.

James hurdled over the armchair to get to the kitchen.

"Maybe its in the laundry chute." Sirius said helpfully, carefully avoiding Remus' eyes lest they both start laughing.

James sidestepped Lily as she came down the stair in all her pregnant glory and opened the small door in the wall and looked down.

"I don't see it Padfoot. Are sure you guys haven't seen it, Those are my best shoes and I need them for my Auror initiation meeting today!"

Sirius looked up at the ceiling at the same time Remus looked down at his shoes, carefully avoiding each other's faces and James'.

"Your shoe dear? I saw it in the medicine cabinet today for some odd reason." Lily said absentmindedly while pouring some tea into a chine cup.

"Bathroom? Should've looked there." On his way up the stairs James smacked both Remus and Sirius on the backs of their heads.

"Ow! Lily you just had to go and ruin our fun didn't you?" Sirius sat down with a scowl. Lily smiled over her tea.

Remus sat down opposite Sirius with a scalding hot cup of tea in one hand while rubbing the back of his head with the other.

Lily put her cup down on a saucer and turned to the cupboard to get a plate. "I saw a frantic man with a job to get to in less than five minutes and two idiots trying to prevent that just to get him in some trouble."

Remus shook his head as he drank his tea. "You got us all wrong Lily. We would have told him where his precious shoe was at the two minute mark just to make him sweat."

"That's horrible and you know it Remus John!" Sirius cringed. "Ooooh, the middle name. Hit him with the book next Lils." Lily turned on the animagus who visibly shrank back.

"And you Sirius _Valentine_ Black. I am just as mad at you so don't think you're off the hook!"

Remus snickered quietly into his tea as he always did when he heard Sirius' middle name, earning him a smack on the arm.

"Bloody isn't my fault I have a deranged mother. Just because I was born on," he shuddered, "Valentine's Day doesn't mean she can name me after the blasted Saint." Sirius muttered quietly, trying to cover up for his name.

"Didn't your mum try and get your first name to be Valentine?" Lily asked quietly with a smile.

"Where did you hear that?" Sirius asked with a horrified expression on his face.

"James told me."

"Of course. Yes, the old bat tried to name me Valentine Eridanus Black."

Remus snorted, splashing tea onto the table and Lily tried to keep a straight face. "Yes, well that would have been a very nice name." Her mouth was twitching in her effort to control her laughter.

Sirius blushed and vanished under the table. He reappeared a moment later completely composed and took a muffin from the tin on the table.

James came bounding down the stairs two at a time. He stopped to kiss Lily and grabbed a muffin, stuffing it in his mouth he ran to the front door and apparated from the front stoop.

Sirius looked at his hand, which was now empty. "He took my muffin."

"Yeah, right out of your hand too." Remus lifted his glass to his lips, his mouth still twitching.

"How can you drink that? It's so hot and unflavored." Sirius quirked an eyebrow, looking at the cup of tea in question. "I like my tea hot thank you. Whereas you like to put in five or six sugar cubes and a gallon of cream before you drink it."

"I like the extra kick." Sirius retorted sticking his tongue out. Lily rolled her eyes at the two of them. "Real mature Siri…" That was when she felt it.

"Uh guys." Lily said quietly her eyes widening. "Get. James. Now." Remus looked up at her with a trace of worry on his face.

"What's up Lils?"

"It's time."

"IT'S TIME!" Sirius stood straight up almost overturning the table. "Bloody Prongs has the worst timing. I'll get her bag, Moony firecall James. Try and get him before the meeting can start. They never let anyone interrupt the initiations."

Remus nodded and stood up to walk over to the fireplace when he fell flat on his face. "Padfoot!" He wailed struggling to sit back up to untie his shoes, which were knotted several times around his chair leg. "You bloody mongrel!"

"Sorry." Sirius dashed up the stairs with a grin on his face and not looking at all sorry.

Lily was gasping for breath now. Her whole face was screwed up with pain.

Remus stuck his head in the fire and looked up at the secretary sitting at the desk in the Auror Help Center. "I'm looking for James, you seen him Hestia?"

Hestia Jones looked up from her paperwork and smiled at the other Order member.

"Sorry Remus, you just missed him," she indicated a locked door off to her right. "Meeting started just a minute ago." Remus swore very colorfully and Hestia raised an eyebrow. "I take it you needed to see him?"

"Yeah, considering his wife is going into labor right now."

Hestia gasped. "No, right now? That's awful. The doors are charmed shut. I can't get in to tell him." There was a cry from inside the fireplace, somewhere behind Remus. The werewolf turned around so Hestia got a good look at the back of his head.

"Oy! Lily no! No strangling Sirius!" There was a yelp Hestia could only guess belonged to Sirius before Remus yanked his head out of the fire and the connection was broken, leaving Hestia looking at the back of the brick fireplace.

"Oh dear."

* * *

James kept fidgeting nervously. He was having an odd cramping feeling in his stomach and he kept thinking about Lily.

Finally, the meeting let out. James walked from the room clutching his new auror badge when a very flustered Hestia Jones approached him. "James! Thank goodness! Lily's giving birth! Remus and Sirius took her to St. Mungo's. If you hurry…"

James was already sprinting for the Floo.

* * *

James skidded around the corner of the maternity ward and burst through the doors to Room 5. Remus was coming out from behind a curtained off bed in the corner of the room and the Longbottoms were in a bed near the window cooing over their new baby boy Neville.

The Longbottom's son had been born a few weeks early and they had to stay in the hospital for a while longer as a precaution

"Lily! Bloody hell! Leggo, I can't feel my hand! James recognized Sirius' voice from behind the curtain and the sound made Remus look up.

"James! You're here! Go in now, Lily's just starting the pushes now." Remus pulled James toward the curtain and gave him a push.

James flung the curtains open and knelt by Lily's bed. "I'm so sorry Lily. The meeting ran late and I…" Lily smiled and put a finger to her husband's lips to silence him.

"You're here now and that's all that matters." James smiled and looked down as his baby started to arrive.

"Um…I'll be over here." Sirius pointed beyond the curtains looking uncomfortable and made to leave but James caught him by the back of his robes.

"No you don't Pads. My son and your godson is about to come into this world and you're going to be here to greet him."

"Do I have to?" Sirius asked looking anxiously as the bloody mass spouted a head.

"Yes." James pulled Sirius beside him.

"All right the heads out now. One more push Lily come on." The doctor urged, his hands a blur between Lily's legs.

Lily grunted and trickle of sweat rolled down her forehead. James watched in amazement.

"Eww. Lily how're you doing this?" Sirius pulled a face. James snorted and bit back a laugh. Lily looked ready to kill.

There was a cry as the baby sprang into life.

"Congratulations Mr. Potter. You have a wonderful healthy baby boy." James felt tears sting the sides of his eyes and even Sirius was looking at the little child with awe now instead of horror. Lily laughed and tears started to stream down her cheeks.

* * *

"What're you going to name him Prongs?" Remus asked a little later while Lily slept and James held a newly washed and clothed baby.

James looked up from the wrapped bundle in his arms. "Me and Lily liked the idea of a simple name. Something no pureblood would ever name their child."

Sirius snorted and Remus smiled. "Inspired by Malfoy's new kid then, huh Prongs?" Sirius asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Actually yes, a little. Purebloods just can't name a kid. I mean really, Draco? It means Dragon but it would have been a better name had they just named the kid Dragon and got it over with."

"I dunno Prongs, you got an okay name." Remus smiled as the baby wrapped a small hand around his finger. And then refused to let it go. Remus tugged his hand to no avail.

"Well yeah but then they went all purebloodish on my middle name. Tertius. It's awful." James wrinkled his nose at the very thought of his middle name.

"Fine, but name him something classy and straight forward." Sirius reminded him.

James looked carefully down at the little bundle and surveyed his face. The little boy opened his bright green eyes and smiled up at his father.

"Harry." James said simply.

"Harry Potter." Remus said musingly, finally retrieving his finger from Harry.

"I like it." Sirius announced with a smile.

James rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Like it was up to you Padfoot."

**Author's Note:**

Remus' idiosyncrasies are a mystery. The boy legend is born.

Next chapter: Prophecy time!

Please review: I'm making a new rule. Two review per chapter or you don;t get the next chapter. That's fair. Read and review and then read and review the next chapter. It's only two.


	5. Chapter 5: Prophecy Unearthed

It occurs to me now that I haven't properly disclaimed yet, so here it is. I own nothing. Sorry to disappoint you.

**Chapter 5: Prophecy Unearthed**

James woke up too early and found that he couldn't go back to sleep. With a resigned sigh he got up and left his bedroom, leaving behind a gently sleeping Lily who pulled the covers tighter around herself.

James paused at Sirius's door and pushed it open. Sirius was the heaviest sleeper James knew and would not have woken up save if a Filibuster's Firework had gone off above his head.

His best friend was currently sleeping with his head where his feet should be and his feet propped up on the pillows. James smothered his laugh with his hand. Sirius was spread out across the bed with his limbs entangled in the sheets and the cover abandoned on the floor. His friend's mouth was slightly open and snores resounded around the room.

Closing the door behind him James continued on to Harry's room. His son was sleeping on his stomach in his red and gold footsie pajamas with his face turned toward the door.

James' heart melted every time he saw the little boy. He had the trademark black Potter hair that would not lay flat, and his bright green eyes still startled James.

Sirius had taken an immediate liking to the little boy too.

The first time Lily had let Sirius hold Harry, he had handled the baby like he was holding the crown jewels. Sirius was warming up to Harry now, he could even feed Harry his bottle properly when Lily was sleeping or James wasn't around.

Peter came by constantly to play with Harry although he was twitching more than ever for some reason. Harry seemed to find it funny. Maybe Peter was so nervous because the matter of the spy in the Order hadn't been resolved as of yet.

* * *

As James walked down the stairs he thought about the last month in his life. 

The Order had celebrated Percy Weasley's 4th birthday about a week ago. The middle child had broken out crying when Arthur lighted the candles and he had snatched a cup off the table and actually threw punch on the cake to put the flames out.

Frank Longbottom happily sang Happy Birthday to the newly turned "big boy" (as Molly called him) on his guitar.

* * *

James walked into the kitchen in the hopes of getting some butterbeer, only to find Remus sitting at the kitchen table pouring over several stacks of paper. 

"Moony, what the bloody hell are you doing!" James exclaimed with shock and amusement.

Remus looked up at James with blood shot eyes and sighed. Running a hand through his sleep-mussed hair he turned back to the papers. "I didn't want you to know I was worried about this. I was going over the Werewolf-Child Interaction and Involvement laws to make sure I could actually be around Harry legally."

James frowned and all amusement left his face. Sitting down next to his friend at the long table he cleared the table of papers with one sweep of his arm.

Remus looked up at James questioningly. "What was that fo…"

"Remus, do you think I care about the damn laws? It's not like this is the first time we've broken the laws and it probably won't be the last. I'm a bloody illegal animagus! And even if there was some stupid little rule about you not being able to see Harry don't you think I would smuggle Harry to see you anyways?"

James' voice was harsh but he felt it was needed to get his point across. '_I really don't care about any bloody laws or prejudices against Remus, he's going to be a part of Harry's life._

"Like it or not Remus, you're going to be Uncle Moony. So get used to life with a baby because you're not going anywhere." James stared at Remus, who averted his gaze to the table and fiddled with the corner of the page in his hand. With a small grin he crumpled the paper and threw it into the sink.

Remus turned back to the table and laughed. "Thanks Prongs. I do have to leave a couple of days before the full moon every month and then come back a few days later, but the time in between I would love to be Uncle Moony."

James patted the werewolf on the back and grinned, all feeling of Moony being a spy vanishing. "Yeah well Moony, honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Do you remember the day the three of us found out you were a werewolf?"

"How could I forget?" Remus said, leaning over to pick up the scattered legal documents.

**_Hogwarts: 3rd Year, 1974_**

_Remus was lying on his four-poster bed in complete misery. The full moon had just passed and he was in no mood for any sudden activity. He didn't even feel like moving, if he could manage that feat. _

_His fever was spiking but he knew it would subside within the next two days along with the new scars running down his chest and back. Those would only leave faint white streaks that he could add to the ones already accumulated all over his body. _

_Remus lifted his head when he heard laughter outside the dorm room. James, Peter, and Sirius came running into the room only to stop short at the sight of Remus._

"_Bloody hell! Worse than the last month then, huh Moony?" James asked, tossing a quaffle onto his bunk. _

_Remus sat up with a start at James' accusation and winced as a jolt of pain shot up his spine. "I take it you know then." The werewolf's eyes were wide and alert, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. _

"_Yeah we know, this is what, our third year together? Of course we're going to notice one of our best friends leaving every full moon and coming back looking like he'd been to hell and fallen into the devil's pitchfork and then thrown into a river filled with lava." __Sirius flopped onto the ground at Remus' feet, smiling widely. _

"_Wow, what a graphic metaphor that was Padfoot." Peter said, rolling his eyes. The pudgy blonde boy took a seat on Remus' trunk. Sirius rearranged himself with his back against Remus' bed frame and stuck his tongue out at Peter. "You're just jealous of my creativity."_

_James clapped his hands together several times to gather attention back to himself. "Yes, we know Moony, and we're going to do something about it too." _

_Remus cut him off. "What's with these nicknames all of the sudden. Padfoot? Moony? What's going on?" _

_James and Sirius exchanged mischievous looks and Peter snickered into his hand like he had a secret. _

"_Well, we've decided to become illegal animagi to ease your full moon experience." James explained as he collapsed onto the werewolf's bed and caught Remus in a stranglehold, mussing Remus' hair with his fist._

_This new information caught Remus by surprise and he pushed James off of him. "You're joking." _

"_Nope." Sirius said with a grin and flung an arm around the werewolf's legs, pulling him to the floor. Remus winced but grinned when Sirius flung an arm around Remus and gestured to each marauder in turn. _

"_My animagus form is going to be a big black dog so my new nickname is Padfoot. Yours is Moony, for obvious reasons. James is going to be a stag so he is henceforth known as Prongs and Peter is going to be a…" _

"_Rat." Peter finished for Sirius sullenly. "You all get to be something cool and I'm stuck being a little rat." _

"_Rats are useful to have in a tight spot. They can get to places where no one else can." James said reassuringly. _

"_And as I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted…" James plucked the pillow from Remus' bed and swung it at Sirius' head. _

"…_his name is going to be Wormtail. Merlin, no need to get violent." Sirius complained. _

_This of course encouraged James to thrown another pillow and before you knew it feathers were flying everywhere and Remus was even able to pick himself up to whack Sirius across the head a couple times. It was good to have friends. _

James and Remus walked upstairs together laughing, James' drink and Remus' anxieties forgotten.

* * *

There was another Order meeting the last week in September. Everything went smoothly even if the news was somewhat disheartening. 

Two more wizards had been killed in a Diagon Alley struggle with the ever-growing Death Eater population the week before and the talk was mainly about upping protection at the strictly magical locations such as the ministry, St. Mungo's, Diagon Alley, and Quidditch pitches around England.

Despite the death tolls rising, people refused to let that stop them from enjoying sporting events and so now aurors had to worry about Quidditch too.

After the meeting Albus pulled aside James and Lily, his normally calm face wearing an expression of worry and urgency.

"What' s the matter Albus? Someone die?" It sounded like a joke but Lily was serious.

"No Lily. I'm afraid it's much worse." Albus was wringing his hands together. Seeing Albus nervous made the matter seem all that more important in the eyes of the couple.

"Is it about the spy?" James asked narrowing his eyes, prepared for the worst.

"No, no. I'm afraid that a prophecy has been made." Albus said. James raised an eyebrow. "How does that concern us?"

Albus sighed. "Well the prophecy was concerning Voldemort and the person who would, in fact, defeat him."

The couple gasped. "You're kidding! That's great!"

"Who is it?" Lily asked, leaning forward in her excitement.

Albus raised a hand for silence. "The prophecy mentioned a child born at the end of July with parents who have evaded Tom three times before. This of course narrows down the choices quite a bit."

Lily suppressed a cry of surprise. "Harry, is…no, he can't be. He's not even a year old yet!" Albus shook his head. "The prophecy never mentioned a time for the battle to take place. It could be years from now, and I don't believe I said that it had to Harry. There is one other."

"Neville Longbottom." James finished for his old teacher.

Albus nodded. "Yes. The problem that now needs to be resolved is that, it would seem that the Seer and I were overheard while the prophecy was being made."

James groaned. "A Death Eater."

Albus nodded again, his face grim. "Yes. You and the Longbottoms are now in severe danger. I suggest you find a safe home and perform the Fedelis charm immediately, with my supervision of course."

Lily looked at James with fear in her eyes and James looked just as uncertain. Finally Lily spoke for both of them. "Frank and Alice are taken care of then?"

"Yes, they are quite safe and have already chosen a Secret Keeper. I need your decision by the next meeting." Seeing the distressed looks on the couple's faces, Albus put a comforting hand on each of their shoulders. "I'm so sorry." The old headmaster left the room.

There was silence for several long moments before Lily's heart-shuddering sob tore through the room. James held his wife close to him, his mind racing at a blurring speed.

'_What the hell are we going to do?' _Was his last coherent thought before he let himself become consumed by worry, panic, and grief.

* * *

"We are in so much trouble." Peter squirmed and looked at the broken vase with guilty eyes. Sirius was frantically trying to scoop the broken shards of glass into his robe pocket. 

"Not if you don't say anything we won't be." Sirius said sharply and reached for another piece. Because he was looking at Peter, Sirius picked the shard up wrong and yelped in surprise as blood blossomed on his palm.

"Damn. Wormy pick up the rest of the pieces for me, will you?"

"What pieces?" Remus asked stumbling into the room still groggy from sleep. The reserved young man got one good look at the room and sighed loudly.

Peter was holding two pieces of a vase Lily had gotten as a wedding present from Emmeline Vance, while Sirius was holding a bleeding hand and looking at the werewolf with wide eyes, trying to look innocent.

"Oh… H-hey Moony." Sirius forced a smile and Peter waved.

Remus sighed and turned around. "I'm going back to bed."

As Remus collapsed onto his bed he smiled and curled up under the covers. _'Now to wait for the screaming.'_ He thought with a mischievous glint in his eye.

As if on cue there was a tumbling and another crash and loud screaming. "Sirius Valentine Black and Peter Thereon Pettigrew! How dare you!"

"Lily wait! Let's not be too rash." Sirius yelled in a panic.

Remus grinned.

There was a yelp and some screaming from Peter, then there was running in the corridor off of Remus' bedroom. Sirius' door closed with a loud bang which woke Harry up, who burst into loud cries. It would appear that James was also awake now, and trying to calm Harry down.

Ignoring the wails of her son, Remus could hear Lily try to hex Sirius' door open. Suddenly there was a loud shattering sound which stunned Harry into silence.

Remus' door was flung open and an enraged Lily stood there, holding onto Sirius by the ear, who was looking pitifully at the werewolf for help. It would seem Lily had managed to open Sirius' door.

"Did you have something to do with this Remus John?" Lily asked, he eyes vivid.

Remus shook his head, trying to appear sleepy. "No, I'm just waking up now. What'd he do," the werewolf fibbed. Sirius gaped at Remus with his mouth open. Moony never lied.

Lily turned away from Remus, so she missed his triumphant grin at Sirius, to shake the animagus in her grasp.

"This imbecile,' Lily began, Sirius winced as his head was wrenched back and forth by his ear, "Broke my vase and he dripped blood all over the new carpet."

James joined his wife at the door, looking groggy and holding onto Harry, whose face was tear streaked. The little boy was also pulling on James' hair and James appeared too tired to care.

"Plus he woke Harry." James added with a yawn.

Sirius looked at James. "Thank pointing that out Prongs."

James smiled. "Don't mention it."

"Enough talk, more punishment!" Remus demanded sitting up in bed and pounding the covers impatiently in a childish way. Harry joined in and started pounding on his father's chest, laughing madly.

"Fine, Sirius come with me. You're going to have a fun day." Sirius rubbed his ear as Lily released him.

He looked suspiciously at the redhead, who had already turned from the room. "What are you going to do?" Sirius asked.

Lily smiled and exchanged looks with James who caught on immediately. "Oh, it's not going to be me who is doing anything. You're going to spend the entire day doing chores for Molly."

"NO!!"

Sirius ran from the room and Lily followed. "Come back here Sirius!"

"NO!"

James thrust Harry at Moony and left the room, drawing his wand as he did so. "Come here Padfoot, I've got a surprise for you!"

"NO!"

Remus started laughing. Every couple of minutes Sirius would come running past his open door yelling "NO!" with James and Lily chasing him and shooting spells at the idiot.

As he and Harry sat there watching the spectacle, Remus wondered aloud. "How on earth does that woman know all of our middle names? _I_ didn't even know Peter's middle name. It's awful by the way."

Remus leaned over and tickled Harry's stomach, much to the little boy's delight. Over the little boy's shrieks and giggles Remus continued. "Be lucky you got saddled with your git of a father's name for a middle name. No pureblood nonsense with this baby! No sir!"

He heard a thud from the stairs and then several more thuds as someone fell down the stairs.

"Ooops, sorry Padfoot. My spell wasn't supposed to hit you like that." James called out, apparently to Sirius, who had fallen down the stairs.

"Mine was!" Lily shouted gleefully. "C'mon, to the Burrow!"

"NO!" Sirius cried forlornly, but of course he had been hit by a body-binding spell so it's not like he had any say in where he was going.

* * *

James and Lily sat at the table staring at photos. Harry squirmed in his sleep and readjusted himself in his mother's arms. 

Lily sighed and picked up a Christmas card from Molly and Arthur Weasley, whom both started waving and smiling at the couple. A two-year old Bill tugged on his father's pant leg and looked nervously up at his mother who was holding onto a new born Charlie. It wasn't the most recent picture, but the Potter's liked it.

"No way, out of the question." James said with finality, taking the picture from his wife and setting it back down on the table.

"Why not?" Lily asked puzzeled. "Molly and Arthur can keep a secret and are both very capable wizards."

James sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Because Lily, they have a family. Six little boys they have to look after. Do you really want to put them and their kids in risk for us? Let's pick someone as unattached as possible."

Lily nodded. "That's a good idea. Bill starts Hogwarts soon anyway. I'd hate to ruin that for him." James flicked a couple of pictures off the table, which unearthed a photo that was from the Marauder's sixth year at Hogwarts.

James, Sirius and Remus were holding their brooms and were in their quidditch robes. Peter was kneeling on the ground in front of them holding up an enormous banner that had a lion stretched across it. All of them were smiling broadly at the camera.

Sirius, who had played Beater because of his strong arm and good aim, was still sporting bruises from his escape from his parent's house a couple of weeks and had refused to let James' parents heal. He was laughing at something in the picture and had an arm around both Remus and James as he was in the middle of the three.

Remus was holding up the snitch for the camera to see and he was grinning broadly. His thin frame and quick reflexes made him a shoo-in for the Seeker position. He was holding his Meteor broom in his other hand.

James himself had the quaffle tucked under one arm and the other thrown around Sirius' shoulders. His hair was rumpled from the wind and the adrenaline from the game hadn't quite gone from his face.

Peter was grinning madly as he pointed at the lion proudly. Peter had never been very good at Quidditch, but he was a brilliant spectator.

"If only we could go back in time to those days. Everything seemed less complicated." Lily said softly and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, giving him a hug.

Harry lay on the chair curled up into a little ball, still fast asleep.

James put the picture down and turned into his wife's hug. "But we can't, so we must prepare for the future. I nominate Sirius as our secret keeper."

Lily pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

"Why? Because the man is my best friend and would die before he let anything hurt me, you, or especially Harry."

Lily smiled and pulled the 3-month year old into her arms, gazing fondly down at the little face. "Yes, he does seem quite taken with Harry doesn't he."

James laughed and slung an arm around his wife. "Yeah, if we don't spoil the kid then Sirius will do it for us. Did you know when he took Harry to Diagon Alley the other day he bought him two ice creams _and_ a toy broom. All in one afternoon. Despite the fact that Harry can hardly sit up on his own yet and would be unable to ride a broom anyway."

Lily handed Harry to James and pulled her coat off the back of her chair. She started walking towards the door. "I have a couple of errands to run, but it's decided. Sirius will be our Secret Keeper."

Lily left and James tickled Harry's chin. "Boy. If we die you are going to have one hell of an interesting life. Especially with that mutt in charge of you."

**Author's Note:**

Two reviews and you get the next chapter. Let me know what you think, especially of the werewolf flashback, Lily and James choosing a Secret Keeper, and the Potter's finding out about the prophecy as those seem to be the most highlighted group of events in the actual series.

Next Chapter: a Death Eater attack leads to guilt and hospitalizations

PLEASE REVIEW!


	6. Chapter 6: First Strike

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Chapter Six: First Strike**

Sirius was pacing nervously outside the auror's offices and staring at the two solid oak doors behind which his initiation would take place in just a few minutes. Remus was behind those doors at this very moment, accepting his position as an auror.

Sirius growled impatiently and shot a look at Hestia Jones, who was busy typing a memo at her desk.

Hestia looked up, feeling eyes on her and sighed. "_No_ Sirius, they are _not_ through with the meeting yet. They will be when Remus walks out those doors." Sirius shot a glare at the doors, as of willing them to open under his gaze.

Hestia laughed. "And no, you can't open them with your hate. Just be patient."

"But I don't wanna be patient!" Sirius whined and pouted, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Hestia shook her head and rearranged her papers and chose to ignore Sirius' childness.

Sirius, offende at being ignored, walked over to Hestia's desk and purposefully knockedone of her folders to the ground, sending papers flying in all directions.

Hestia's mouth flew open. "You, you...Sirius Black! You are the most infuriating, childish, annoying man I have ever known!"

Sirius opened his mouth to retort but the doors opened, interrupting their arguement. Remus came walking out, smiling softly to himself and polishing his new badge with the hem of his robe. As he passed Sirius Remus stopped in his tracks.

"Whoa there Padfoot. Calm down. You're nervous as hell." Remus tucked his badge away into his pocket and looked into his friend's face with worry.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair in a very James-like way. "Can you tell that much?" Remus nodded. "You're legs are shaking." Sirius looked down and frowned at the offending limbs. "Yeah, well I guess it's not every day I become entrusted with other people's lives and the safey of the community in general." Sirius muttered.

Remus put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Mate, we're doing this for a reason. This is what you've wanted since you ran away from your parents in sixth year. You've been training for this for two years for this and you are not going to let some pre-initiation jitters get in your way? _Are you_?"

Sirius half-smiled and shook his head. "No way. I suppose I'm just nervous. Thanks Moony."

"No problem." Remus released the animagus and Sirius walked into the initiation room. He emerged an hour later grinning and holding onto his new badge.

* * *

Sirius lazily tossed his quaffle up towards the ceiling and then caught it in one hand as it fell back to him. The young man sighed. '_I'm so boooored! Remus is at the office, James and Lily went off furniture shopping.'_

Sirius halted his thoughts to snort in disgust. '_Furniture shopping. What a waste of time. And then Peter's off doing Merlin knows what. I think it had to do with the Order but hey, they don't disclose that sort of information to people who don't need to know. And I don't need to know, apparently.'_ Sirius closed his eyes and tossed the quaffle again, repeating the monotony.

'_Leaving me here with babysitting duty.'_ His gaze flickered over to the makeshift crib where Harry was lying on his stomach with a content look on his face, sleeping soundly. His Potter hair was askew as usual, and he was wearing the red footise pajamas with the golden snitches all over them.

'_Nothing against Harry of course, but he's quite dull when he's asleep. Wish I were on Auror duty tonight. Something to do at least.' _

As if in response to his thoughts, there was a loud knocking on the door and Sirius sat up with a start, dropping the quaffle.

Harry jerked awake and his face scrunched up, ready to cry. Sirius dashed to the crib and snatched Harry out of the mess of blankets, smothering the baby's cries with his right hand.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the door he moved his left hand, his wand hand, to his pocket. There was a loud splintering noise and a crack appeared at the base of the door and continued upwards in a zig-zag fashion. '_They're trying to break down the door!' _Sirius realized. _'And there's no way these are good guys. Death Eaters no doubt.'_

Sirius looked down at the little bundle in his arms. Harry's face was tear streaked but he had stopped crying and was now looking up at Sirius with as if to ask 'What's going on?' His little legs were still entangled by a red blanket. _'First things first, I've got to get Harry out of here.'_

"Hang on Harry, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Sirius vaulted over the couch and ran down the hallway at a break neck speed as the door shuddered and burst open, showering the living room with splinters of wood. A spell shot over Sirius' head and the young man ducked and covered Harry with his body but didn't slow down.

Sirius had made it all the way to the stairs before he was hit. A jet of red light hit him in the shoulder and with a strangled cry, he spun around and hit the banister with his back. Pain engulfed Sirius and his body jerked and twitched as he fell first to his knees, and then his stomach.

Harry fell from Sirius' unresponsive arms and started crying the moment he hit the ground.

"Got the bastard! This way!" A voice cried out triumphantly down the hall. Sirius struggled to get to his knees. '_Damn, got me with a Crucio. That hurt like hell. Moody always said it hurt, but never even dreamed of that. Moody also says the man caught frozen still remains still, I've got to get up right now or they'll kill Harry. An me. Get it together Sirius. James has a floo connection in his room. Just need to get there and we're home free."_

"C'mere Harry." Sirius got painfully to his feet and lifted the sobbing baby back into his arms. Feet thundered around the corner and Sirius sprinted up the stairs, ignoring the curses and hexes being thrown at him.

Using his wand Sirius pointed over his shoulder and randomly called out "Stupefy" or "Petrificus Totalus." Sirius smirked as he heard a body hit the floor with a thud after one of his jinxes hit home.

The door to James' room was open. _'Thank Merlin.' _Sirius sprinted into the room and half-turned to close the door behind him when a curse hit him in the back and he was thrown forward. He rolled over onto his back in midair and cradled Harry to his stomach as Sirius took the brute force of the impact.

Another spell hit Sirius in the leg and he felt skin and muscle tear. Crying out in pain Sirius pushed Harry under the bed. Reaching down to his leg with one hand and groping on the ground for his wand, which had flown from his hand, with his other he heard a cold voice in the doorway.

"So, so. Sirius Black. Traitor extraordinaire." Painfully turning his head, Sirius lay helplessly at the feet of two Death Eaters. With a grimace, he pushed himself into a sitting position. "So Bella, how's Rodolphus?" Sirius asked with an ironic smile. The nearest Death Eater's mouth twisted into a smirk.

"Just dandy, he's unconscious downstairs."

"We did not come here to chat Lestrange." The other Death Eater, a man Sirius noted, said gruffly. Bending over towards Sirius, he twirled his wand in one hand and, without warning, kicked Sirius in the side.

The animgaus hissed in pain and tried to catch his breath but the Death Eater took no notice. Placing his foot on Sirius' chest he forced the younger man into a lying position on the floor.

Exerting pressure on Sirius' rib cage the unknown man leant forward and hissed with barely contained rage, "Where is he Black? The boy. Potter's brat. Be a good little blood-traitor and hand him over so we can kill him, and then you afterwards." The man's face morphed into a sickening smile beneath his mask. "Maybe the Dark Lord will like you as a present to toy with, something that will scream with terror when in his presence."

"Isn't that what your job is?" Sirius asked as innocently as he could.

The Death Eater was not amused. His arm sprang back and his fist collided with Sirius' nose. Blood spurted out in gouts and began to dribble down Sirius' cheek and chin, pooling into a puddle around his head.

Sirius closed his eyes and bit his lip against the pain. '_C'mon Sirius don't show pain. They like that. You've been through worse. Just think.' _Sirius opened his eyes and took a moment to survey the room.

The fireplace was only a couple of feet away. It might as well have been miles.

His eyes sprang back to his captor as the man started speaking again. "Maybe we'll just burn down the house and see if we can't find the brat's charred little body in the rubble afterwards."

Sirius' temper escalated and his eyes flashed dangerously.

The man straightened but did not remove his foot and began putting steadily more pressure onto Sirius' ribs. The young man groaned in desperation and he tried to roll out from beneath but the Death Eater simply applied more pressure to keep him there. To Sirius' already exhuasted and damaged body this torture was too much to bear. '_Just kill me already, Merlin this hurts!'_

Finally a snap was heard and then another, and Sirius could no longer hlod back his scream of pain. '_My ribs! Just make it stop, please!'_

Disgustingly satisfied, the man removed his foot and stepped out of the way. "If you would please do the pleasure Bella. I feel as if I'm taking all the fun."

Bellatrix smiled faintly and watched as her cousin moaned and tried desperately to refill his lungs with air. "Do you remember when we were kids Sirius? I had complete control over you."

Sirius did remember, he just didn't like to think about it much.

_**Black Mansion, 1966**_

"_Oh Sirius?" _

_The six-year old boy gulped and jumped off his bed to go and lock his door. Unfortunately he was too slow and an older girl with long black hair tied that was back into a bun came striding into his room like she owned it. _

"_Merlin your house is dreary Sirius darling." Bellatrix pulled at a stray lock of hair. _

_The little boy wasn't fooled. His cousin had pulled the fake nice routine too many times for him to be tricked again. _

_Bellatrix was home from her first year at Hogwarts for Christmas break and her mother had chosen to take her and Bella's two younger sisters with her on a social meeting with his mother. These meetings occured less often during the school year but almost twice a week during the summer months._

_Bella looked at Sirius. "What, not even a hello after not seeing your favorite cousin for half a year?" She asked innocently, poking at the bric-a-brac on Sirius' bureau. _

_Sirius sighed. He hated it when Bella called herself his favorite cousin. That position was filled by Andy, who was never mean to him like Bella or Narcy were. They were all older than him but Andy never made fun of him or got him in trouble like Bella or Cissy. They had made it a game, who could get Sirius sent to his room the fastest? _

_Bella twirled her wand in her hand like a baton, and sat down uninvited on Sirius' bed. She was still looking suspiciously at her younger cousin. Sirius gulped under her unnerving gaze. If he didn't give a proper greeting then he would get in trouble later. _

_With a sigh Sirius got down on one knee and bent his head so he was staring at the floor. Bellatrix got up and flicked the stray piece of hair from her face. "You may get up." She extended her hand and Sirius kissed the ring quickly, not meeting Bellatrix's eye. _

_Sirius hastily got back to his feet and watched as Bellatrix walked across the room to the far wall and studied a poster of the Ballycastle Bats. The seeker caught the snitch in front of her nose and quickly flew out of the frame while one of the catchers pretended to drop the pass and he and the other chasers flew out of sight to retrieve the quaffle._

"_Now then little Star." Bellatrix began, still studying the poster. Sirius grimaced at her nickname for him. "Do you remember before I left for school in September, I left a cloak here and your mother said she put it in your closet. Go and fetch it for me would you?" Bellatrix turned, hands on her hips._

_Sirius raised an eyebrow at his cousin. "Mother didn't say anything abo…" Bella laughed loudly and threw back her head. _

"_Now Star, when has Auntie ever told you anything of importance. Now go and get me my cloak!" Her voice was no longer asking, but telling. _

_Sirius felt his face flush. He hated how his cousin made him feel so insignificant. Slowly Sirius walked over to his closet and thrust the large door open. _

_He stuck his head inside the small space and then looked back out at Bella, who was now standing behind him. "I don't see it." He stated trying not to show that he was happy her cloak was missing. _

"_Auntie said it was in the way back because she didn't want you touching it and dirtying it up. Look again." _

_Sirius took a step inside the closet and felt with his hand for the garments at the back of his closet. "Bella I don't think it's he…" He was shoved forward from behind and the closet door closed with a click, leaving Sirius in pitch black darkness._

_Feeling almost immediate claustrophobia Sirius hit the door with his fist. "Bella open the door." The little boy heard her insane giggling from the other side of the wood. "Please Bella! It's dark in here!" He was starting to get frantic. _

"_I'll be back in a little while gullible Star. Try not to make so much noise." _

"_Bella!" Sirius beat the door again to no avail. Bellatrix had gone._

* * *

Sirius frowned at the memory; he had been stuck in that closet for a good three hours. Eventually his little brother, Regulus, had stumbled upon him and informed him that Bellatrix and the others had left an hour ago. 

The memory brought a fresh wave of anger crashing down on him. She had had no right to do that to him. He had been franticly crying when he was found. To this day he had an inane fear of small places… and closets.

Bella's laughing brought him back to his preset predicament. "So I see you remember." She lifted her wand lazily and pointed it at his chest. Fear twisted itself in Sirius' gut.

"_Crucio!_"

The red-hot searing pain returned with a vengance. Sirius couldn't control himself and a scream of pain was torn from his lips. His body jerked and twitched, upsetting his mangled leg which caused him even more pain.

Bella leant forward. "One more chance Sirius. Where is the boy?" Sirius gritted his teeth and forced himself to look up at his cousin's face. No words were necessary, she read the determination in his eyes and straightened. "Well then, goodbye Star. Avada Kedav…"

Sirius swung out with his good foot and knocked her off her feet, sending her flying backwards onto her rump. The infamous killing curse flew harmlessly over his head and into the wall, absolutely demolishing it.

Through the cloud of dry wall and paint chips, the man flew at Sirius but the auror simply rolled over onto his back and sprang out of the way, snatching up his wand as he did so.

With one swift motion, Sirius pulled Harry out from under the bed where the child had remained blessedly silent, and made a grab for the cup full of floo powder on the mantle.

"He was here all along? Damn you Black!" The man was on his feet and his wand was pointed directly at the two. Sirius flung the fistful of powder at the man and he staggered backwards clawing at his eyes and swearing.

Bella shot a curse at him and Sirius managed to conjure a shield charm just in time. The force of the curse knocked Sirius backwards, his leg wobbled beneath him. Quickly, Sirius grabbed another handful of the powder and flung it down at the fireplace. Green flames leapt up around him and Harry.

"Auror offices, Ministry of Magic." The familiar spinning sensation took hold and he took the risk of sending a triumphant smirk at Bellatrix. Sirius' last view of the marauder's happy dwelling was of Bellatix's enraged face and the unknown man's long blonde hair falling free of his mask.

The next view he had was that of the safe and Auror offices and of Hestia Jones' horrified face. She hurried from behind her desk and put a hand on Sirius' elbow to steday him. "Merlin Sirius! You look like you've been through the meat grinder. What happened?"

Sirius' left leg wobbled uncertainly beneath him. Now that the adrenaline of the fight was wearing off, he was aware of just how tired he was. Harry squirmed in his grasp and he passed the boy off to Hestia just before he collapsed.

* * *

James came running around the corner at full steam. '_My son, my best friend. A Death Eater attack and Sirius in critical condition at St. Mungo's. What a nightmare. If anything happens it should be my fault. We would have been back sooner had I not suggested the brilliant idea of stopping for dinner at a quaint little muggle restaurant. I insisted Sirius wouldn't blow up the house and that he and Harry were just fine. Shows how wrong I was.' _

It had happened like a scene from a horror movie. Remus had apparated to where James and Lily where having dinner to inform them briefly of the Death Eater attack and that their one and only son was in the hospital. Shortly after dealing with Lily's hysterics, Remus had apparated back to the scene of the attack. Apparently he had signed himself up for damage control.

James forced himself to stop and wait for the elevator. He would have been to see Sirius sooner but he had dropped Lily off to stay downstairs with Harry in the trauma ward. She promised she would be up to see Sirius shortly.

The brass doors clanged open and disgustingly happy music floated out from the compartment. James rolled his eyes and stepped inside. '_Elevator music. The bane of any sane person's existence.' _

James stepped out of the elevator and looked around sharply, having no idea where to go from there. "Now where the bloody hell is Sirius' room?" James asked himself, bending over to look at the numbers painted onto the door closest to him.

"James! Over here mate!" James turned around and was greeted by the tall lanky form of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Kingsley? It's good to see you. How's Sirius?" Kingsley smiled. "He should be all right. Only one injury gave the healers any problem. His leg was hit by a _particularly_ nasty curse that shredded any flesh it touched."

James winced at the image that portrayed. Kingsley nodded, sharing the same sentiments.

"Yeah, so he'll have to deal with crutches for about a week. Also the Crucio aftereffects have been dealt with already so he can be released by tomorrow afternoon."

James quirked an eyebrow and looked past Kingsley down the hallway. "Why does he have to stay overnight? Sounds like he's good to go."

Kingsley shifted from one foot to the other and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah well they have him knocked out right now so the potions can take effect and they want to observe him overnight just in case that one curse takes a nasty turn."

James sighed in frustration. "Suppose I'm not allowed in to see him then, huh?"

Kingsley let loose a loud hearty laugh. "_Gods Jamie_! You worry too much. He was asking for you before he passed out and he made the healers promise to let you, Remus, or Peter in when you arrived. Of course you can go see him.." Kingsley jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "He's in that room."

James pushed past Kinsley with a half-hearted growl, mostly directed at being referred to as Jamie, and shoved open the door to Room 16B.

Sirius was lying on the hospital bed in boxers and a loose gray shirt. Both looked as if they had been supplied by the hospital, as a quick inspection of the room showed James that Sirius' former clothes, a navy sweatshirt, black t-shirt, and khaki cargo pants were resting on a chair in the corner of the room looking slightly worse for wear.

James glanced at the bedside table and saw his friend's wand lying next to his wallet, which had been removed from his pockets.

James pulled up a chair and stared at his best friend for moment. Sirius' left leg was propped up on several pillows and it was wrapped in layers of gauze and bandage.

His once straight and regal nose, a trait from the Black Family, was now slightly crooked near the bridge. An orange paste had been spread across his nose and cheek. Sirius' breathing was even and he looked peaceful in his sleep, probably thanks to the sleeping potion he had been dosed with.

James smiled cheekily and looked down at the floor. "You're a right mess Sirius Black." A laugh startled James from and he looked up, his vision blurred '_By the sudden irritation in my eyes' _James thought firmly as he swiped his sleeve across his face.

Sirius was looking bemusedly at him from the bed, where he folded his arms across his chest looking very superior. James laughed again, this time with thankfulness and leapt from his spot to where Sirius lay. Sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed he knocked his best friend's uninjured foot good-naturedly. "Gave me a right scare you did mate."

"Good. You deserved one. Furniture shopping my arse."

The door opened and Remus stepped in, blinking at the scene in front of him. "Well I see you're awake then. Lily told me to tell you thank you for rescuing Harry and that she would be up later."

James slipped off the bed and let Remus say hello, which the werewolf did by thumping Sirius on the head and then jostling his already messy hair. "Pulled out of another scrape have you?"

"Yes. I can take care of myself." Sirius said and pouted, offended that he had been implied as reckless.

"So, what's the damage to the house Moony?" James asked reclaiming his spot on the bed and Remus pulled up the chair James had been using previously.

"Well, Sirius and the Death Eaters sure did a number on it. You can't move back in, it would be unsafe."

James sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "That's what I was afraid of. There's something I need to tell you guys. Something really important. It has to do with you Sirius, but mostly with Harry, and it's the reason there was an attack at all."

**Author's Note:**

This is my longest chapter yet. Yes, Sirius' childhood is painfully emotionally scarring isn't it? Sorry I was so mean to my favorite animagus but I liked the chase scene. Two reviews and you get the next chapter. The low number of review I am receiving makes me sad and not want to post the sequel after this. Sigh I think this classifies as a cliffhanger though. Don't you want to see what happens next?

Just want to say thanks to Wolffanforever and Kendra-the hyper, one the only reviewers I have. I love you both for raising my self-esteem.

Next Chapter: James asks Sirius to be his secret keeper, James and Lily move into Godric's Hollow, and Sirius and Remus go apartment hunting.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	7. Chapter 7: New Residence

Disclaimer: Of course I own Harry Potter. Psh

**Chapter Seven: New Residence**

Before James could begin explaining to Sirius and Remus, Peter came into the room. Failing to notice the look that James sent him for interrupting, the pudgy man greeted Sirius and looked over his friend's injuries with worry.

While Sirius eased Peter's nerves James took the moment of distraction to rethink his strategy. '_If what Dumbledore said is true, then the Secret Keeper's life is in danger as well. The fewer people who know about this, the better.'_

James watched as Sirius playfully punched Peter in the arm and the blonde man launched into a tale about his grandmother, who had apparently fallen down the stairs and then turned the grandfather clock into a mushroom in her rage. Remus was grinning at both of them and turned to James, his mouth open to tell him something, and then promptly closed his mouth again at the look on James' face. "What's wrong James?"

Sirius and Peter both turned to James at Remus' words. James flushed from the sudden attention. "I need to talk with Sirius in private about the attack, if you guys don't mind."

Peter opened his mouth to protest but Remus stood up and took Peter by the arm. "No problem James. We'll go visit Harry." Remus said, not at all offended that just a moment ago James had promised to fill Sirius _and _himself in on what had happened. They both left the room without any questions, although Peter looked like he wanted to ask some.

Sirius was looking at James with a questioning look. "So…Prongs, what's up?"

James sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He decided to simply launch into the tale, so he started at the beginning. James told Sirius of Dumbledore approaching him and Lily after the last meeting and of the prophecy concerning either Harry or Neville.

"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives," James recited what Dumbledore had told him. Sirius remained quiet throughout the story, staring at James with an awed look on his face.

James ended the long tale with the night he and Lily had been looking through photographs searching for a Secret Keeper, and who they had finally settled on. James looked up to meet Sirius' wide surprised eyes.

"You want me to be Secret Keeper then? You know tonight when they were talking to me, Bella and the other guy I mean, they were asking me where Harry was. Now I know why. Harry's got to kill Voldemort or die trying is what I got from all of that. Am I right?" James nodded with solemn eyes. Sirius looked at James with sympathy.

"Mate…that sucks."

James nodded. "Tell me about it. Harry was just born and already his life is in the balance. It doesn't seem fair." James lowered his head. "But that's where you come in Padfoot. You can keep Harry safe, prevent anything form happening to him, by agreeing to be our Secret Keeper." James looked up and seeing the look on Sirius' face he hastily added, "You don't have to accept of course. We could…"

"What are you daft? Of course I'll do it."

James grinned from ear to ear and embraced Sirius, careful of his injuries. "You really are the best mate ever. I've got to go tell Lily!"

* * *

James pointed at a house. "How about that one?" 

Lily shook her head and wrapped Harry tighter in his blanket. "Not enough yard. When Harry gets a little older he's going to want to run around a lot. I can tell." James smiled and flipped the page.

"Oooh! Wicked! This house is in a muggle neighborhood but is secluded by a bit of forest that cuts it off from the rest of the houses. It's a two-story cottage with a large yard, plus those woods would effectively hide somebody if they needed to be running away from something." He added the last part with noticeable vagueness.

Lily hit him in the arm. "Stop that. Don't think so negatively." She leant over his shoulder to look at the picture and description of the house. "Godric's Hollow? You have got to be kidding me. I though you said it was a muggle neighborhood?"

James shrugged. "It is, must be a coincidence is all. What do you say?" Lily furrowed her brow and glared at the picture. Her forehead finally evened out and she smiled. "All right then, it looks cozy."

* * *

"This one?" 

"No."

"This one."

"No."

Remus flipped the next page. "This one for sure."

"No."

The werewolf threw up his hands in frustration. "What the bloody hell is wrong with this one?"

Sirius frowned, propping up his bandaged leg as he did so. "It only has a washer. I want a dryer too."

Remus rolled his eyes and growled softly in the back of his throat, trying to suppress the instinctual urge to strangle the man sitting next to him. "Sirius, you can dry your clothes by magic. Wash them by magic too if you want. The muggle appliances don't matter."

"They matter to me."

Remus threw the newspaper at Sirius and stood up, stretching his back. "Look. I already found an apartment." Remus spread his arms out wide to emphasize the apartment he and Sirius were sitting in. "You need to find one still and I'm tired of you sleeping on my couch. Stop being so picky!"

Sirius pouted. "You already had an apartment. This is where you went for full moons. It's not so easy finding a place like this." Remus looked around again to see if he and Sirius were talking about the same apartment. Ratty couch, torn up wallpaper, no food. Yup, same apartment.

Sirius pulled the paper from where it had landed behind a cushion and flipped it open to a page featuring apartments in the downtown muggle London area. "This ones not so bad," he muttered, pointing to a one bedroom flat.

"Good." Remus grabbed his friend by the jacket and shoved him at the door gently, careful of his leg, and handed Sirius his crutches. "Now get out of my flat and go buy that one!"

* * *

Sirius shoved the door of his one-month old flat open and collapsed onto his sofa, not even bothering to take off his shoes or jacket. 

Since the nearest floo or apparation point was a good five blocks away from his flat, Sirius spent the better half of his morning maneuvering around speeding muggles in cars and motorbikes. By the time he got to work he was in no mood for Death Eaters, today had made irritated him especially.

Not only was Scrimegour so far up his ass he could taste Brillcream in the back of his throat, all because he had filled out _one_ report wrong, but Edgar Bones and his family had been attacked for the second time this month.

Sirius had long since figured out that Edgar was the Longbottom's Secret Keeper, if the fact that he was continuously being attacked was not enough, then it should be noted that Edgar and Frank had been best mates at Hogwarts.

Sirius groaned and picked up the clicker from the coffee table. He flipped over onto his side, propping up his head with his open hand, to watch muggle reruns.

When he was sixteen and running from his parents, he had lived with James and his elderly parents. So Sirius was there on James' 16th birthday when he received a television. Sirius was completely amazed when James plugged in the TV. Not only was there a moving picture like in photographs, but there was sound too!

Now Sirius had become an expert on televisions, he could even work the new plastic thing that had come with the TV. Remus called it a clicker. When one pressed a colorful button on the plastic device the channel changed or the volume went up. Frankly, Sirius found it amazing.

Sirius wasn't, however, as taken with the other muggle appliances lining his new home. He had turned on the blender the first day he had spent in his new apartment and had almost gotten his hand sliced off. He stayed away from that. Sirius also thought that the refrigerator might be alive. It kept humming at him and sometimes it even woke him up at night. If he didn't have to, he avoided the kitchen all together, preferring to get his meals in the Ministry cafeteria.

Sirius checked his watch. Peter was supposed to come by later for drinks and then they were going down the road to the floo point to visit Remus. The full moon had passed only two days ago and they wanted to check in on him.

Sirius frowned and concentrated his attention back on a show called _Coronation Street_. He had been moody for quite a while now, and people at the office had even started commenting on it. He knew why his mood was so bad all the time now. Remus and Peter were feeling lousy too. They were missing James, Harry, and Lily.

James still came into the office, but only on late, late night shifts and he had a complicated series of floos at different locations to get there, so the marauders never got see their unofficial leader. What was even worse was that they _never_ saw Harry or Lily anymore. Lily was taking an At Home Healer program so she could stay at their new house with Harry. They were safe, but Sirius couldn't help but feel that they could venture out every now and again.

So far Sirius had not had any trouble with Death Eaters but he figured he would soon and he would be forced to move around as often as the Edgar if he wasn't careful.

A knock at the door distracted Sirius and he felt for his wand in his pocket. He had been jumpy whenever someone knocked on the door ever since Bellatrix and another Death Eater had attacked him and Harry a month and half ago.

Sirius made sure to look through the peephole before undoing the two bolt locks and letting Peter into the apartment.

* * *

Later that night as the two walked down a deserted alley about a block from the floo point, Peter cleared his throat and started fidgeting nervously with his wand in his pocket. 

Sirius cast an amused glance at his friend. "What's up Wormy? Something on your mind?" Peter turned to look behind them and he looked up at his much taller friend. "N-nothing really. I just have a bad feeling is all."

Sirius frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"Because it feels like we're being watched. Call me paranoid, but I don't like it at all." Peter muttered in a hurried whisper.

Sirius looked about him. True, they were in a deserted area perfect for a blind attack. The many twisting alleys could provide a hiding place for any Death Eater, but they could also work as a getaway system if things got messy. Like Moody said, always vigilant! Sirius put his hand near hi pocket just in case and smiled at Peter to calm him down.

"I wouldn't worry about it Worms. I'd like to see someone take on the splendor that is Padfoot." Sirius flexed his muscles and laughed.

Peter gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, you'll scare 'em off no problem with that limp noodle for an arm."

Sirius fell back a pace; a hand flew to his forehead as he pretended to be offended. "Oh, now you've wounded me. _You're_ calling _me_ a noodle? At least I don't have the complexion of a noodle, unlike someone else in this alley I know."

Peter opened his mouth to retaliate when a crash startled them both. They pulled their wands out and scanned the alley with their eyes.

"See anything Sirius?" Peter asked, inching slowly to the right.

"Nah, might have been a rat or a stray dog or…something. Let's keep moving." Sirius turned to keep walking down the alley when a hand caught him from behind and muffled his shout of surprise.

His attacker's other arm came around and trapped Sirius in a bear hug. Sirius elbowed the man in the stomach and leapt away from him.

The man, who was wearing a mask, drew his wand and leveled it at the two marauders. "Run!" Sirius bellowed and grabbed Peter by the elbow. The two sprinted down an adjoining alley.

"We need to get to the floo connection!" Peter gasped as the two turned a corner to throw off their follower. A garbage can to their right blew up in a shower of green sparks.

"Bloody hell! They're aiming to kill! Hit a left up here Peter, only a couple more streets until the floo." Sirius ducked and spun around to shoot a curse at the Death Eater only to see that two more masked men had joined him.

"It was a set up." Sirius breathed quietly and turned to catch up with Peter. Three on one? He wouldn't stand a chance.

A figure dropped down from the fire escape above and landed on the ground just behind Peter and in front of Sirius. Peter stopped and spun around, but kept backing up down the street away from the fight.

Sirius growled in the back of his throat, things were getting bad. The figure raised their wand and Sirius ducked the curse. Another jet of light came at him from behind and would have hit him, had he not leapt out of the way on instinct. Sirius hit the ground hard and looked up to see that the curse had ricocheted off a broken piece of mirror on the ground and hit the figure blocking Sirius' way.

Sirius scrambled to his feet and took the opportunity to sprint away from the oncoming group of Death Eaters. He caught up with Peter quickly as he turned the corner. To Sirius' relief an old building with a green wooden door stood in front of them.

"There it is! Come on." Peter opened the door wide and the two launched themselves into the small building. No one was on duty, which was surprising, so the place was empty.

Peter ran to the shelf and grabbed a handful of floo powder from the goblet.

"Hurry, get to Remus'!" Sirius shouted and waved his wand, causing several chairs to fly up against the door in an attempt to barricade it. It would buy them a couple seconds in any case.

Peter threw the powder down and stepped into the green flames calling out, "26 Sterling Den!" and was swept away in a flurry of sparks.

Sirius left his place by the door and hurried to grab his own fistful of the green powder.

The door shook and with a start Sirius realized the entire building was shaking. What sort of spell did that? The animagus smirked and threw his powder down into the fireplace and shouted, "26 Sterling Den!"

'_They're too late.'_ He thought with a satisfied laugh. The door burst open but for the second time Sirius had evaded capture by the Death Eaters and they were left with his swirling frame disappearing in a flash of green flames.

Sirius landed awkwardly on the other side and nearly fell over. "I hate flooing." He muttered and ran a hand through his hair, sweeping it out of his face. Ash fell into his eyes and he shook his head like a dog. Remus was at his side instantly to steady his friend.

Grudgingly Sirius allowed himself to be lead through the apartment to the living room where Peter was already seated on the couch looking ill. Remus sat Sirius beside the Peter and the werewolf busied himself by going to the kitchen to get them all some hot tea.

"It was a setup.' Sirius said aloud as Remus handed him a steaming cup of tea. He plucked a couple of sugar cubes from the tray on the coffee table and plopped them into his drink and then reached for the cream. Remus wrinkled his nose as he watched his friend's choices in flavor and he took a sip of his own tea, without adding anything.

Peter took a nervous sip and looked at Sirius. "How do you know it was a setup?" He asked placing the teacup on the table; his hand was shaking too badly to hold it without spilling the scalding liquid onto his lap.

"They were all so organized, they had the first attacker who was later joined by two others who knew exactly where to join the chase. Than that last person, whoever it was, knew where we were and jumped down right in our way. They knew we were going to be going that way tonight." Sirius rubbed his face with one hand and came away with a fistful of ashy smudges; Sirius grimaced, knowing he must look frightful.

Sirius continued, wiping his hand on his pants. "What I want to know is how? I only told Peter what would be happening and they were as much after him as they were me. I don't understand." Sirius set his drink down and put his head in his hands, frustrated.

Remus let his friend sit there like that for a moment before launching into auror mode. "For inspection purposes, I need you to tell me exactly what happened from the moment the attack happened right up until you got here."

Sirius sighed and launched into the tale with Peter adding details here and there.

Sirius had always been good at telling stories; he had amused Harry for hours that way and this story was no exception; Remus thought that it deserved to be made into a fantasy book. In reality the story seemed to far-fetched but jut to look at Sirius and Peter was to know they were telling the truth. Besides, Sirius never was a good liar. A truth stretcher yes, but not a liar.

When Sirius had ended, Remus stood up from where he had been crouched by the sofa and began pacing the room. "All right. I think you both should stay here for the night. Tomorrow we'll go see if either of your houses has been damaged. If not, it's safe to assume they don't know where you live and you can continue living there. Maybe it was just a fluke attack tonight. Though hardly likely considering Sirius' description."

The werewolf reached for his cloak and threw it over his shoulders. "I'm going to the office to report this. Stay here both of you." He cast them both a look telling them exactly what he would do to them if they didn't listen to him and he marched over to the floo and left for the ministry.

Both Sirius and Peter looked at each other and collapsed against the couch in relief. They were both alive and in one piece. However, one of the two's left arm had begun to ache in a very painful way.

Peter turned to look at Sirius. "You know Padfoot. I've been thinking."

* * *

Remus sat on his bed late that same night pondering what had happened. '_Peter was acting stranger than usual. Why would he comment on Sirius thinking it was setup? If it were all that obvious he would have noticed it for sure. He **is** an auror, and not an incompetent one at that.'_

Remus stopped to rub his aching temple with his thumbs. '_Too much activity for so soon after the full moon. My head still aches and the fever has just worn off. I'm sure my concerns for Peter are just that, concerns. He was probably still trying to wrap his mind around what happened. He might have been in shock.'_

Remus flopped backwards and covered his face with his hands and gave a very long sigh. _'Peter is our friend and there should be no reason to ever question anything that he does.' _Remus stopped his musings to slip out of his shoes and slide beneath the covers. He flicked off the light with his wand and images of a dog, a rat, a werewolf, and a stag occupied his dreams for one blissful nights sleep.

* * *

Remus couldn't remember ever being so happy. The marauders were all together again for the first time in several months and he was holding Harry on his lap and bouncing the giggling boy up and down on his knee like Remus' father used to do for him. 

The werewolf looked around the circle the group had formed and smiled. Lily was scolding Sirius for some obscene reason but by the looks of it, her heart wasn't really in it. She too was happy to be with friends again.

James was holding a spirited discussion with Peter about the finer points of the Wimbourne Wasps defense and their newest beater, Ludo Bagman, who was becoming a prominent young rookie in the league.

Yes, for Remus John Lupin, life was good. If only for a moment. He soon had to hand little Harry back over to his mother, who in turn gave up the squealing child to Bill Weasley.

Remus tried not to laugh at the pathetic look that Bill shot at the marauders before leading the twins towards the stairs. He tried to hold onto Harry with one hand and Ron with the other while shepherding Percy and Neville forward with his foot. By a unanimous vote, the eldest Weasley child had been nominated to watch over all of the kids at the Order meeting today. The twins were already scheming ways to wreak havoc and Charlie didn't look like he was going to help his brother at all. He watched amused as Bill tried to manage six children at once.

The meeting commenced with Dumbledore standing at the front of the room and raising his hands for silence. It took a few moments but everyone was eventually quiet and attentive.

Dumbledore looked out across the room and smiled faintly. "I thank you all for coming on such short notice. I know these past few months have been very trying for some and I thank you for your patience." The old headmaster's gaze settled on the Potters and the Longbottoms before he continued.

"Voldemort is becoming more restless as of late. The murdering of our dear Marlene McKinnon and her family this past week shows us that Tom is not willing to wait for his captured followers and to simply surge on ahead with his dwindling troops. His new recruits are clever and eager to prove themselves, one of them, I don't know who or how, has gotten hold of a list of those in the Order and it seems that Tom now plans to go down the list one by one."

Every person in the room's eyes widened in disbelief but Dumbledore continued. "Marlene was at the beginning of the names and Tom chose to start with her."

The very idea of a hit list terrified Sirius, and he wasn't easily scared. A quick look around the room told him he wasn't the only one. A note hit Sirius between the eyes and with he unfolded the piece of paper, reaching up with the other hand to rub the bridge of his nose.

_Do you think DE's tried to get you and Pete because of the list or because of the prophecy? _Sirius recognized Remus' ridiculously neat cursive. Looking around to see if anyone noticed the two passing notes, Sirius pulled a quill from his pocket and wrote a return message on the back of the paper.

* * *

Remus flinched as a ball of paper hit him in the ear. 

**Moony. Mate. Amigo. Do you really think I could know the answer to that? I have no idea. Death Eaters are crazy, you know how Moody is always saying he's caught so many Death Eaters is because he's learned to think like them? I reckon that's why he's off his rocker. **

Remus smiled and put the note in his pocket. He tried to focus back in on Dumbledore's speech as he seemed to be talking about something important.

"So, this is why our work is becoming even more important now more than ever. Anything you can possibly do to help the cause, do it. Any leads are vital, any rumor I want reported immediately. We cannot take chances!" Dumbledore said with passion.

"Constant vigilance!" Roared Moody from the back of the room and he thumped his cane loudly against the floor.

Dumbledore laughed, the twinkle in his eye returning. "Yes, thank you Alastor. Is there anyone who has something to report?"

Arthur Weasley looked at his wife and stood, raising his hand to gather attention. "Yes Arthur?" Dumbledore asked with a faint tone of surprise.

Arthur cleared his throat and looked around the room nervously. "Yes, well at the office yesterday I encountered Evan Rosier. He was acting very oddly so I followed him after casting a disillusionment charm on myself."

Molly looked up at her husband with horror. Clearly she had known nothing about this little tale of her husband's.

Arthur continued. "He was muttering under his breath and clenching his left forearm occasionally. He was acting so strange I decided to follow him. He was taking the back routes of the ministry, you know the ones only taken by the Unspeakables." There was some general nodding and agreements.

"He went down to the Department of Mysteries where he was met by Augustus Rookwood. Now this surprised me. I've known Augustus for a long time. Anyway he turned his back to me and showed something to Rosier. Rosier kept nodded and speaking about something. He kept repeating 'Is it ready?' nervously and Rookwood said, and I quote, 'Yes, everything is ready and in place. He will not be disappointed.' I went back to my office quickly because Rosier turned around like he had heard something." Arthur took a deep breath and sat down.

Dumbledore stroked his long gray beard for a moment looking thoughtful. "This is most distressing. I did not know that there could be possible spies in the Department of Mysteries. That would be disastrous. However we can make no assumptions no matter how pressing the evidence is. This is the only piece of information we have on Rookwood. I would like him to be watched. Would the aurors in please take care of that?" All four marauders and Moody nodded.

Dumbledore returned to his train of thought. "Now then, Rosier has been a suspected Death Eater for a quite some time. Judging by this conversation Arthur overheard, Tom is obviously planning something. I would like everyone to be on high alert. Do not let your guards down for a moment!"

Dumbledore stopped and smiled at Arthur. "Arthur I would like to thank you, but must express my concern that what you did was a dangerous, foolhardy, and a reckless venture."

Molly hit Arthur on the arm. "I told you Arthur."

Dumbledore's smile widened. "Thank you all the same however, that was vital information. Now if that is all I would like to ask if everyone could please move to the front hallway where it has been requested our picture be taken to document our group. Thank you."

Everyone got up at and moved to the hallway where a camera had been set up on timer. The Order huddled together and smiled as the flash went off. A moment later everyone turned to face the person next to him or her and started laughing or breaking out into hysterics. All of their faces were covered with black powder.

Sirius and James started to laugh outrageously. They had been on the outside of the picture and only the hems of their robes had been dirtied. Remus, Lily and Peter were not as amused. They had been kneeling in front of the camera and were fully covered form head to toe in the black stuff.

Bill raced down the stairs panting and his face flushed. Everyone turned to him and Bill's eyes widened at the state of their appearances. "Has anyone seen Fred and George?"

**Author's Note**:

Awww, Fred and George's first prank. I have gotten an overwhelming amount of feedback from many different people. No, that's a lie. I have gotten reviews from two people (Thank you wolffanforever and Kendra-the hyper one) over the course of seven chapters. Please, I'm on my knees, make me feel special, give me feedback! This is now officially the longest chapter yet. Here's incentive to review, try and guess what Peter was talking to Sirius about in Remus' apartement.

Next Chapter: An attack and some foul curses are used (And not at Sirius. I know I know, misfortune befalling another marauder? Shock)

PLEASE REVIEW!


	8. Chapter 8: Blind Pain

Disclaimer: Can't you tell I'm JK Rowling in disguise? Oh wait, no I'm not!

**Chapter Eight: Blindsighted**

Sirius was content to merely walk down Diagon Alley, looking in the shop windows as he went. Whistling softly to himself, Sirius nodded to Benjy Fenwick in greeting as he passed the tall man.

Fenwick was posted on auror duty in Diagon this afternoon along with four other aurors placed strategically. It had taken a couple of months but the Ministry had finally authorized the auror guards at magical stations after the attack on the Muggle Parliament building.

Some rampant Death Eaters had thought it ingenious to recreate the Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the attempt to blow up the Parliament building but Fawkes was foiled. The Death Eaters had been slightly more successful, collapsing the roof on half of the government building and killing three muggles inside.

Not only did the muggles take notice of this event and were now asking questions, but shifts at the ministry had been extended and Sirius and Remus were being sent out at all hours of the night to patrol the streets.

Sirius paused outside of Quality Qudditch Supplies and looked longingly at the newest Comet model. He hadn't been able to fly much since he had graduated from Hogwarts and he sorely missed the Gryffindor House Team Beater position he had filled for six years.

Sirius gazed heavenward as he felt a tickle on his neck and a snowflake drifted onto his nose. Sirius opened his mouth and let a few fresh snowflakes drift onto his waiting tongue.

Looking at his watch and finding he had time to spare, Sirius pushed open the door to the Quidditch store and examined several Puddlemere and Appleby Arrows posters. Christmas was coming and maybe Prongs and Remus would like some souvenirs of their favorite teams.

Sirius fingered a Ballycastle robe before exiting the shop. Nothing decent to spend his money on in there, not yet at least. The Christmas shipment hadn't arrived yet.

The next store to catch Sirius' eye was the joke shop the marauders had kept in business during their school days. Sirius shook his head and continued on. Maybe once he got this stupid gift buying thing out of the way he could stop off there and get something to prank Moony with.

Sirius smirked at the image. '_I always did love Moony's face when he got surprised. The time in fifth year was the best, the rubber snakes springing out of his breakfast cereal was a classic.'_

Sirius' head whipped around as an enormous bang sent a shock wave down the street and caused several people to loose their footing on the slick snow. Sirius teetered on his feet and grabbed the nearest lamppost for stability. Hysterical screaming was coming from the direction of Gringotts.

Sirius watched for a moment to make sure it wasn't a false alarm but when a green light shattered a window and knocked into the wall of Madam Malkin's, Sirius drew his wand and sprinted towards the bank.

Attempting to stop, Sirius skid several feet past Benjy Fenwick, wind milling wildly to stop himself from falling over. Fenwick who was organizing a small group of aurors consisting of Dorcas Meadows, Caradoc Dearborn, Remus, and James who had apparated from the office.

Sirius regained his footing and ignored the sniggering from Dorcas. Fenwick looked up to see Sirius jogging over to the group. "Black, excellent. I was just going to go send Dearborn to look for you. Listen up! Ten Death Eaters have invaded Gringott's so far no casualties but that can change. Black and Potter, take the left entrance. Lupin you're with me for the main entrance. We're decoys, give the Death Eaters something to shoot at while Black and Potter can get a clear shot. Dearborn and Meadows put on Disillusionment Charms and follow right behind Lupin and me. Everyone ready?"

Five nods.

Dorcas and Caradoc vanished into thin air behind their charms and the group set off.

Usually Sirius would take this rare opportunity to talk to James having not seen him since the last Order meeting but the older wizard was all business and Sirius wasn't much in the joking mood either. '_They're attacking Diagon Alley, in broad daylight with aurors on the streets? What are the trying to prove?'_

The screams grew louder as the aurors approached Gringotts and James and Sirius separated from the group. Fenwick made a motion with his hand and Sirius yanked the door open at the exact moment Remus did.

James and Sirius barreled through the door and immediately started shooting off curses at the five Death Eaters within viewing range. James hit one with a Stupefy and Sirius hit another with a cutting curse, making the Death Eater's wand arm go limp.

Remus ducked a Crucio and fired a Petrificus Totalus and missed, narrowly side-stepping another curse. A Death Eater stumbled forward with a cry of pain and Dorcas whooped with victory. Bad move. The other Death Eater spun around and started shooting random Avada's in Dorcas' direction.

The invisible auror would have to be constantly moving to avoid being killed

Sirius forced himself not to think about it and instead focused his thoughts on the other five Death Eaters coming through the vault doors.

James got knocked backwards by a curse and would have fallen had Sirius not instinctively reached out and snaked an arm around his friend's waist. James pushed himself up with a grunt and muttered thanks.

The hairs on the back of Sirius' neck stood straight up and he spun around only to get hit with a cutting curse that sliced through his shoulder. Ignoring the throbbing pain, Sirius leveled his wand at the Death Eaters.

* * *

Remus grit his teeth and fired another curse despite the stinging pain in his leg. 

"_Crucio_!"

Remus' eyes widened and he managed to put up a feeble shield in time. Another Crucio came just as fast as the first and he leapt out of the way, rolling into a crouch as he did so.

He happened to land in the wrong place.

"_Caecus Dolus_!"

Remus began to spin around to put up a shield but the curse hit him in the back and sent him sprawling forward.

The last thing Moony remembered was the ground rising to meet him and the world spinning in a flurry of colors before darkness crashed into him.

* * *

There were only three Death Eaters left James realized. He was choosing to ignore the searing pain in the back of his head and right knee but James forced himself to train his wand on the smallest Death Eater. "_Stupefy_!" 

The Death Eater squeaked and procured a shield charm. James' charm flew into the ceiling causing dust to come raining down. James swore under his breath and tried again but where the Death Eater had once been, was now empty. James whipped around to find the other two but Fenwick and Sirius were looking just as dumbfounded by their lack of opponent.

The Death Eaters had simply vanished into thin air.

James swore again.

* * *

For the time being Gringott's was closed, for the first time in five centuries. 

Two goblin corpses had been recovered. Avada Kedavras had killed both. Permanent looks of horror crossed both of their faces.

Slowly the other goblins emerged from where they had taken cover during the attack to give their accounts. James let the late coming aurors deal with sorting things out as he walked amongst the bits of rubble and scattered currency with a look of disgust on his face.

James bent down to retrieve a knut. He looked at it for a moment and then let it fall back to the ground. _'Goblin's can only perform basic spells and some special goblin techniques. The Death Eaters were just looking for a good slaughter; they didn't even bother to take any money or anything. Disgusting.'_ James looked up and saw Sirius limping towards him.

"Hey Prongs." Sirius said with a half-grin half-grimace. James took note of his friend's torn and bloodstained jacket.

"Find Caradoc or Dorcas yet?" James asked half-heartedly looking over his shoulder as if hoping to see the two wizards running toward them with smiles.

Sirius shook his head. "Nah, they're probably just unconscious and can't undo the charm just now."

"Yeah probably." Neither of them wanted to admit what might have happened.

Both aurors looked up as Fenwick hurried up to the two of them and gave them a skeptical look. Out of all the aurors present Benjy had fared the best with only minor scratches and cuts, which were already bandaged.

"What are you two doing here? Medi-witches have been tearing this place apart to find you. I've got another squad of aurors heading out here in a couple of minutes and I want you two to head over to the first aid tent, get patched up, and head home. That's an order." Benjy turned away, giving both marauders a wink and walked off towards a group of goblins.

Obeying their senior officer, James and Sirius headed back to the main atrium. The two walked in comfortable silence when Sirius tripped and landed flat on his face. James laughed and offered his friend a hand up. Sirius turned to James, his face had gone ashy.

James frowned and withdrew his hand. "What's wrong Padfoot?" Sirius wordlessly drew his wand from his jeans' back pocket and tapped an invisible something on the ground.

The ground in front of Sirius shimmered for a moment and then materialized into Dorcas Meadows. She was staring straight ahead with glassy eyes and a look of fear was etched onto her face.

James reached down to help Sirius up. One Order member dead. Another missing. This was not a good day.

* * *

Sirius sat staring stonily at the first aid tent flap. His shirt had been removed and he was sitting on a cot with his right shoulder wrapped in a bandage and a sling. His broken ankle had been healed with a swish of the wand. 

He was waiting for James with news of Remus. Apparently the medi-witches had never seen the spell Moony had been hit with before and the only way to tell what to do about healing him would be to wait for him to wake up and tell them what was wrong with him.

James walked into the tent with the aid of a crutch and stared at Sirius, a disbelieving look in his eye. "He woke up. There was a side effect from the curse." Sirius didn't let James finish and sprinted to Moony's tent.

He pushed the tent flap out of his way and stepped in. There were two wizards with Remus, the St. Mungo's emblem adorning their lapels. Both of them jerked their heads up at his sudden arrival.

Remus, who was sitting on a cot, turned and looked at Sirius. Or rather in Sirius' direction. Sirius almost fell over but caught himself on a trolley of medical supplies.

"Moony…" Sirius choked out, his eye sight blurring.

Remus' eyes, which were normally a deep blue, were now gray and emotionless. Remus had gone blind.

One of the healers rushed over and steadied Sirius. "Auror Black. It is all right. Yes Auror Lupin has sustained injury to his eyesight but we have deduced that it is only temporary. He will be able to go about normal life with just a little assistance and we're estimating a recovery time of about a week from now."

Sirius almost fell over again from relief. He grinned broadly at Remus who was sitting on the cot with a bemused expression on his face, having guessed Sirius' reaction to his appearance.

Remus was staring at the wall behind Sirius when he spoke. "Hey Padfoot?"

"Yeah Moony?"

"Let's get out of here. I want to go home."

Sirius grinned and went over to help Remus up. "Sure mate."

* * *

_**Two Days Later**_

Remus gripped the banister tightly. _'Left foot, now right.'_ Remus squeaked as his foot missed the step completely and almost fell down the stairs._ 'Don't fall down the stairs now Moony. Sirius would never let you live it down. Merlin being blind is hard!' _

Remus finally made it to the bottom floor of his apartment complex and opened the door to the busy street. Remus paused and using his werewolf smelling abilities, tried to locate Peter and Sirius. '_About a block away. I can wait inside until they get here. I don't want to risk getting hurt going out on my own.' _Despite a few slipups here and there, Remus was adjusting to being blind quite well.

Him, Sirius, and Peter had gone to Dumbledore yesterday to discuss the holidays. Finally, after much pleading and begging it was agreed that the three would be allowed into Godric's Hollow to see the Potters for four hours so that they could have Christmas together.

It was a great relief to them all. Christmas had always been a time the marauders had been together.

Of course they would have to take a few complicated portkeys to get James and Lily's house but it was well worth the extra hassle.

* * *

_**More Days Later**_

It was Christmas Eve and Sirius woke slowly, luxuriating in the early morning laziness. '_No auror duty today, I have the entire day off. Later I head over to Moony's to pick him up and then meet Worms at Godric's. I love Christmas.' _

Funnily enough Sirius had only been able to say that for the last three years. Every year before that had always been spent at the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. Not the most cheery place at Christmas time. Or…any other time for that matter.

_**Black Mansion: Third Year, 1974**_

_Sirius sat on the couch watching as Regulus shook another present. From where he sat he could clearly make out the words '_To Sirius_' on the tag but that didn't stop his younger brother. _

_Sirius sighed and sank deeper into the cushions. He already missed the marauders and he had been home from his third year at Hogwarts for a total of 27 hours. He was miserable._

_Kreacher, the house elf Sirius loathed and who loathed Sirius back, slunk into the room and sank into a low bow. "Little Masters are requested in the Dining Room for dinner." _

_Regulus jumped to his feet and ran out the door. Sirius followed, at a much slower and lazier pace._

_As Sirius neared the dining room, his mother got one look at him and grabbed him by the collar. She pulled him into an adjoining room and steered him in the direction of his bedroom. _

"_How dare you think you can come to the table looking like that? Just because you spend your time running around with half-bloods and blood traitors does not give you the right to look sloppy at _my _dining table. Now go! Put on the new dress robes. The green ones with the Black emblem. And do something with you hair before I burn it off your head ungrateful head." She hissed at him, fearing if she shouted the company down the hall would hear her._

_Sirius slouched toward his room. As always his mother had impeccable parental skills. He hated how she kept referring to his friends as blood traitors (James and Peter) and half-bloods (Remus). _

_Sirius slammed the door to his room open, starting a portrait in the hallway of his great-aunt screaming. Downstairs he heard the yelling of his father to shut the damn thing up. Sirius smirked to himself, glad to be able to cause some mayhem, and walked over to his dresser._

_He wrinkled his nose as he pulled out the dress robes. They really were nice robes but they were Slytherin colors. Obviously his parents hadn't quite forgiven him for being sorted into Gryffindor. _

_Everyone at school knew it; they sent him a howler every two weeks saying as much. _

_Sirius pulled on black dress pants and slipped the robes on overtop. Looking himself over in his door-length mirror, Sirius sighed. His hair really was becoming quite unruly. _

_Sirius grinned. Maybe Lily was right and he was spending too much time with James. Sirius's grin disappeared as quickly as it had come, knowing how his parents wanted his hair to look like. Slicked back with perfect manners, like Reggie. Reggie _never_ hesitated with the formal greeting like Sirius did. _

_With a soft growl Sirius ran his hands furiously through his hair making it even messier than it was before. Smirking Sirius left the room. "Wait'll they see me now." He said to himself._

_The table was set for nine and with a heavy heart Sirius noticed cousins Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa with their parents Aunt Druella and Uncle Cygnus. _

_Bellatrix smirked at him and bit into a forkful of turkey. Sirius grimaced and sat in between Andromeda and Regulus. _

_Uncle Cygnus sent him a scathing look. "What in the name of Merlin did you do to your hair?" Sirius flushed and sank into his chair. Upstairs it had seemed like such a good idea to piss them all off, now he wished he had never done it._

"_It's okay Daddy." Andromeda piped up. "It's the latest style at school. Sirius is just staying in time with the newest fads." Sirius shot Andy a thankful smile and Andy returned it with a 'You owe me' look._

_Sirius stared at his plate. He could feel his mother glaring at him but chose to ignore it. _

_Aunt Druella started the awkward conversation. "So Regulus darling. How is your first year at Hogwarts going so far?" _

_Regulus beamed at the attention and of course responded with the perfect answer. "Just great Auntie. Thank you so much for asking. I've met both Antonin Dolohov and Patroclus Nott." _

_Uncle Cygnus raised his eyebrow and the corner of his mouth lifted. "Two very promising young men. Well-done Regulus. And you Sirius? Who are you friends with?" _

_Sirius nearly choked on his spoon. "Umm, er. Well James Potter." His aunt made a 'tsh' sound and Sirius' shoulders slumped. James would have been the only one they might have approved of. _

"_And Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. Sir." He added the formality almost as an after thought, trying hard not to forget the etiquette lessons he'd had as a child. _

_His uncle gave him a searching look and then turned to his parents. "Tell me Orion. Why is it that your son continues to make a mockery of the Black name? First he becomes a Gryffindor and now he is associating with blood traitors? And this Lupin fellow. I have never heard of their family."_

"_That's because Lupin is a half-blood Daddy. His mother is a muggle and his dad is a disgrace of a wizard. They're really poor." Narcissa helpfully told him, sending Sirius a malicious grin when her father had turned away._

'Thank you Narcissa.'_ He thought bitterly. His father gave him a glare and turned back to his brother-in-law. "Do not worry Cygnus. He is being taken care of. As for his friends of choice." His father eyed Sirius warily. "I see no reason why he shouldn't just leave them and find new ones. Respectable ones." _

_Sirius jumped up in fury. "I will do no such thing!" He cried. He felt Andromeda pull on his robes to make him sit back down but he ignored it. "They're the greatest friends I've ever had! Ten times better than those arrogant brats you've been teaming me with!" _

_Orion Black stood up, his hands on the table and his face livid. "Sit. Down. Now." _

_Sirius shook head. "No. You have no right to tell me who I can and can't be friends with." _

_His mother stood up so quickly her chair fell over. "You disgusting brat! We have raised you and fed you and taught you the ways of our society. You should be so lucky! You never deserved any of it! Shame of my flesh! Little traitor! That's what you are Sirius, look at what you have done to this family! You're a disgrace to us all." _

_Turning so no one could see his eye swimming with angry tears, Sirius left the room._

_As he walked quickly to his room Sirius could hear his parents apologizing profusely for their selfish son's behavior and Bella's and Narcy's snickering. _

_Once he reached his room, Sirius threw himself onto his bed and swiped at his eyes angrily with his sleeve. _

Sirius sighed and turned over onto his stomach, letting his head rest on his arm. Sirius' bedroom door was kicked open and Sirius jerked out of bed, clumsily falling to the floor, hopelessly entangled in sheets.

Remus Lupin stared at him for a moment and then started laughing hysterically.

"Ha ha." Sirius said sarcastically, trying to disentangle himself. "I thought you were a bloody Death Eater. Aren't you supposed to be blind?"

Remus ignored Sirius' comment and walked over to the dresser. He pulled out a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a red button up long sleeved shirt. Casually tossing them over his shoulder, Remus started walking towards the kitchen.

"This morning when I woke up, I could see. And the first thing I thought was, who should I share this spectacular day with? And then it hit me. Sirius would be almost awake by now, I should go over and share the news." Remus pulled a box of cereal from the cupboard and eyed the crumbs still left inside.

"Thanks so much for sharing Moony." Sirius grunted, tugging on the jeans over his boxers.

"What have you got to eat?" Remus asked, shaking an empty box of crackers.

Sirius emerged from his room yawning and stood behinf Remus. " I Dunno, I have to go shopping soon. I'm running low on Licorice Wands."

Remus laughed and emerged with a Chocolate Frog in hand, staring at the wizard's card that came with it. "Mr. Moony would like to imply to Mr. Padfoot that it's not healthy to be so addicted to Licorice Wands."

Sirius snatched the half-eaten frog out of Remus' hand and walked away munching on it.

"Mr. Padfoot would like to say that Mr. Moony is a know-it-all git with slow reflexes and Mr. Moony is also addicted to chocolate so he shouldn't talk about Mr. Padfoot's addictions."

Remus tackled Sirius from behind and reached around him to grab the Chocolate Frog. "_Never_ touch my chocolate Padfoot." Remus said seriously and popped the last bite into his mouth. "Oh, and what were you saying about slow reflexes?" Remus smiled.

Pocketing the card, Remus tapped Sirius on the top of his head. "Padfoot. The only food you have in this house is candy. You are not three years old."

Sirius pouted. "Aww, you take the fun out of everything Moony."

Remus smiled a toothy grin. "That's what I'm here for Padfoot. Someone has to be the responsible marauder and make sure you get a good breakfast."

Sirius snorted. "Yeah, that way you get to have to the chocolate filled breakfast that I provided with my hard earned wages and I end up lying on the floor with you sitting on me. GET OFF!"

Remus got up quickly, laughing loudly. "C'mon Padfoot, we have to go to Diagon Alley. I forgot to buy the second part to Peter's two-part gift." Remus wiped a tear from his eye.

Sirius feigned surprise. "Nooo, Remus J. Lupin actually forgot something. Shock of all shocks!"

Remus kicked Sirius in the leg on his way out the door.

**Author's Note:**

Poor Sirius and his less than satisfying past. Remus' blindness was just a passing thing and will in no was have an effect on the rest of the story. I have no idea if Benjy Fenwick, Caradoc Dearborn, or Dorcas Meadows were actually aurors. I do know that they were Order members who all died or vanished.

On the Harry Potter Lexicon they have a full and detailed Black Family Tree so the names of Sirius' relatives are accurate. Did you know his Dad's name was Orion and his mom's name was Walburga? Yuck. But then again, Sirius was _this _close to being Valentine Eridanus Black. How much would that of sucked?

By the way, the Latin translation for the curse on Remus is roughly "Blind Pain" which I found very fitting and is the name for this chapter.

Oh yes, I have changed the update time from Monday until Sunday because I am busy on Monday until late at night and don't want to update then any more.

Next Chapter: Christmas Time and a late night discussion

PLEASE REVIEW


	9. Chapter 9: Christmas at Godric

Disclaimer: Sigh, do I have to keep doing these?

Holy Stalagmites! I got two reviews! So, as promised, here is the next chapter. Also I am revoking the update limit rule and will now simply update on Sundays, rain or shine. Thanks for making my day. ; ) I knew there were reviewers out there somewhere...

**Chapter Nine: Christmas at Godric's**

Sirius skipped merrily through the snow, causing Remus to laugh. "Stop skipping Padfoot. People are staring."

Sirius ignored Remus and flounced around, dropping to the ground. He started to energetically make a snow angel and Remus rolled his eyes.

Sirius pulled his scarf away from his face and stuck his tongue out. Remus wasn't sure if it was directed at him or with the purpose of catching the snowflake that had landed on the tip of his tongue. Sirius spoke after closing his mouth to swallow the snowflake. "To hell with people Moony. I know I'm the greatest and that's all there is to it." Remus wasn't sure if it was directed at him or with the purpose of catching the snowflake that had landed on the tip of his tongue.

Remus shrugged and dug his hand deeper into his pockets. "Pad, remember that little talk we had about humility?"

Sirius sat up. "Yeah, was that one about me _humiliating_ you in a snowwitch building contest?"

Before Remus could protest Sirius had dove into a massive pile of snow and started clumping it into a ball. No wanting to be undone, Remus quickly began to construct his own mound of snow.

When they were done, Remus had built a snowwitch that looked something like Lily and Sirius had made one that looked suspiciously like Molly Weasley. Remus looked around to make sure Molly wasn't going to pop up around a corner and beat the living daylights out of them both. Remus breathed out, they were safe.

The two had decided to stop in a muggle park for a while before they headed over to James Lily's for Christmas dinner.

"I do believe that I am the winner." Sirius declared.

"What? My witch is clearly better." Remus would not give up without a fight.

"Oh yeah, then where's her nose?"

Oh

Remus inspected his witch and found that she indeed had no nose. Sirius smiled triumphantly at him. "I win." The animagus said easily and plopped back down onto the ground.

Remus frowned but scooped up a mittenful of snow and tossed it into the air high above Sirius' head. Sirius transformed into a dog and leapt up to catch the snow in his mouth.

Laughing, Remus reached for another handful.

* * *

After several snowballs Remus' arm had begun to ache, but Sirius was not ready to stop yet. Remus bent over for more snow. "This is the last one Padfoot." Remus warned, packing the snowball down. Sirius nodded eagerly, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in a grin.

Remus tossed the snowball underhanded high into the sky. Sirius ran around another underneath the snowball but overestimated it and the snowball landed with a plop on Sirius' nose.

Sirius yelped and ran in frantic circles, swiping his nose with a paw.

Remus watched the sight with amusement and laughed. "C'mon Padfoot, we have to get going. Don't want to be late for dinner now do we?" Sirius came bounding over and knocked Remus over, excitedly licking his face.

"Arrgh, you mutt. Geroff!" Remus struggled to lift the dog up but Sirius stubbornly stood his ground.

"Well well, isn't this cute." Remus started and Sirius leapt off him, his tail in the air and he showed his teeth, growling loudly.

Remus stood up to face Lucius Malfoy with a little boy in his arms.

"Malfoy." Remus said slowly. It was out of place to see a Malfoy in a muggle area. Let alone with his son. '_The dirty muggle ways might rub off on his impressionable mind or some other rubbish.'_ Remus thought.

"Lupin. What a…charming dog." His son buried his face in his father's cloak. '_Sirius is scaring him.'_ Remus realized, noticing the boy's wide eyes didn't leave Sirius.

Remus grabbed Sirius by the scruff of his neck and yanked him backwards gently. "No Padfoot. Be a good dog." Remus said, shooting Sirius a glance that told him to play along at the same time.

Sirius grinned in the way only a dog could and let his tongue loll out of his mouth in a happy pant.

Lucius set his son down on the ground and looked warily at Remus. "What are you doing in a muggle park on Christmas Lupin? Surely you have some sort of acquaintance you haven't scared off yet to spend today with?"

Remus folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow at Malfoy. "Yes actually I do. I'm going there now. Might I inquire as to what you are doing here?"

Lucius Malfoy smirked. "Draco and myself were merely out on a stroll."

Remus felt Sirius move from where he had been leaning against his leg but ignored it.

* * *

While Malfoy and Remus had their little battle of wits, something Sirius had never been to good at, trading insults was a waste of time to him, Sirius preferred to just the hex the whoever was bothering him. So while one of best friends battled with one of his worst enemies Sirius took the moment to examine his youngest cousin, who was playing with a small mound of snow the same way Sirius had not too long ago.

Sirius trotted over to Draco and plopped down in front of the little boy. Draco looked up for a moment and smiled. Sirius let his tongue hang out again. '_Cute kid, not as cute as Harry though. I don't think any baby could beat Harry.'_

Draco pushed some snow over to Sirius and resumed constructing a…well…whatever it was he doing with the snow. Sirius almost laughed. A Malfoy, sharing. That was unexpected. Sirius placed a paw on the snow mound and created a paw print.

Draco's eyes wandered over to the paw print and he pressed his own small hand into the snow next to Sirius'. '_Aww, now that is cute.'_

The little boy pushed himself up very slowly, abandoning his snow construction, and clung onto Sirius' fur. Not quite ready to walk without falling over, he just stood there looking with a serene expression.

Sirius knew that look well. Harry would get the same look on his face when James would show him a snitch or when James looked at Lily. It was a look of fascination.

Lucius seemed to notice his son for the first time in minutes and he gave a cry of rage.

Lucius swiftly kicked Sirius in the stomach, who lurched away with a howl of pain. Draco fell over into the snow without Sirius' support and started to cry.

Remus pulled his wand out of his pocket and knelt beside Sirius.

"Keep your filthy mutt away from my son." Malfoy hissed out in barely suppressed rage. Swooping Draco up, Malfoy turned on his heel and strode away.

Sirius transformed back as soon as the two had gotten out of sight. Remus helped him up. "Sorry mate, I didn't think he would kick you." Sirius shook his head to get the snow out of his hair and smiled.

"S'allright Moony. I'm fine. Just surprised me is all." Remus looked at him skeptically and Sirius laughed, swinging an arm around Remus' shoulders. "Don't worry about it Moony. C'mon we're going to be late." The two left the park; the incident with the Malfoy's already forgotten.

* * *

James strung up the last row of popcorn on the enormous tree. Carefully, he stepped down off the ladder and smiled happily at his handiwork. James swiveled to face Harry, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor behind him chewing on a stuffed dragon.

"What do you think sport? Is your old man good, or is he good?" Harry laughed and threw the dragon down, holding his arms up to be lifted. James obliged and stooped down, scooping up Harry at the same.

"Ooof Harry. When'd you get so big?" James tickled Harry gently, making the little boy laugh.

A pair of hands wrapped themselves around James' neck and he turned around into his wife's hug. "They should be getting here soon." Lily murmured into her husband's chest. James nodded and took his glasses off with his spare hand and rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah. I can't wait to see them. I haven't seen Peter in ages and the last time I saw Remus or Sirius was last week or so and we were busy defending Gringotts from blood-sucking evil Death Eaters from hell."

Lily slapped him on the arm "Stop that, no swearing in front of Harry. You'll scare him!"

James looked down at the little boy in his arms and found his bright green eyes staring back at him with no sign of fear at all. "Lils, I think he'll be just fine."

The doorbell rang and was followed in quick succession by the loud barking of a dog and then laughter. James rolled his eyes and handed Harry to Lily. "They're here." He muttered before walking over to the door. "Why did we agree to this again?"

James opened the door and was tackled by the great big dog that he knew to be his best friend.

Sirius turned around and grabbed a hold of Remus' belt with his teeth and yanked him forward, causing Remus to topple over on top of James. Sirius leapt to the very top of the pile and started howling loudly, clearly proud of himself.

James turned his head to look at Remus whose face was near his shoulder. Both of them had very disgruntled looks on their faces. "Hi Moony." James said, his voice muffled by Sirius' howls and Harry's delighted laughter.

"Hi." Remus grunted. "What'd you think, should we neuter the git?" James nodded with a grin.

Both men launched themselves up at the same time. Sirius toppled off the pile, transforming back into a human when he hit the floor. Remus and James laughed as Lily went to shut the door rolling her eyes.

Peter arrived shortly afterwards, laden down with brightly wrapped gifts that Sirius was eager to help bring in, all the while looking for one with his name on it.

The marauders sat in the den for a while chatting and catching up with each other. Lily brought in eggnog and milk for Harry. They talked about what had happened recently and many laughs were shared.

James was surprised to find out that Sirius had pranked Moody. The scarred Head Auror had marched around the department for almost a week vowing to find whoever had planted Hair Dying Potion into his hip flask. So far, he had been unable to change his hair back from its lime green look and was on the warpath.

Remus was equally as shocked. "You're the reason Mad-Eye came into my office and did a full body and desk inspection. He thought I had planted evidence on myself." Remus exclaimed.

This just caused Sirius and James to laugh louder. "It's not funny! He looked _everywhere_. And then he walked away to do Johnson!" Remus was red in the face by now and decided not to take the matter any farther.

James wiped a tear away from his eye. "I still just want to know how you got into his flask. He always keeps it with him."

Sirius looked away and folded his arms. "A good prankster never tells his secrets."

James kicked him and looked at Remus. "So why did you show up with Sirius in dog form?"

Remus frowned and picked up Harry off the floor. He had been hitting Remus' knee with a picture book for the last five minutes. He obviously wanted it read to him. "We had a little run-in with Lucius Malfoy."

Both James and Lily straightened up in their seats. "Not around here was he?" Lily asked.

Remus shook his head and passed Harry to Sirius, who took the book as well. "In a muggle park miles away away. He had his kid with him too but I just wanted to be careful. He saw me and Sirius goofing around and Sirius was in dog form so I decided to keep him like that."

"He kicked me." Sirius muttered without looking up from the picture book.

"I'm sorry, what?" Lily asked. "Lucius Malfoy kicked you?"

Remus waved his hand to dismiss it. "He kicked him because he was near Draco. What were you doing anyway Padfoot?"

Sirius looked up. "Nothing, Me and Draco were playing in the snow when Malfoy cut in. Rather unnecessarily violently I might add."

James raised his eyebrow. "You were playing in the snow with a six-month old?"

Sirius shrugged. "A dog can do whatever he wants." No one had a comeback for that, it was true.

The five sat there enjoying idle chatter while Sirius read quietly to Harry.

"Maybe we should open presents now?" Peter suggested, looking at the mounds of gifts.

Sirius sprang up. "Yes! Presents! Me first!"

Lily grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "No Sirius. Youngest first, that would be Harry."

Sirius pouted and sat back down. "Fine I won't go first, but I will go third." James laughed and scooted down onto the floor and grabbed the nearest gift. It was wrapped in shiny red paper with a white bow and a singing Santa tag that kept belting out, "To Harry! Ho Ho Ho!"

James rolled his eyes at Remus. "Cheesy much?" Remus shrugged and smiled. "I thought Harry would like it." James handed Harry the present, who clapped in delight.

Remus shot James and 'I told you so' look.

Harry stared at the present, unsure what to do.

Lily reached around Harry and undid the bow. "C'mon Harry, pull at the wrapper like tha… good. Oh. What did Uncle Remus get you?" Lily held up a stuffed animal in the shape of a brownish gray wolf.

Peter's, Sirius', and James' jaws all dropped. "No way Moony!" Sirius cried making a grab for the toy.

James turned to Remus. "It looks just like you!" Remus flushed slightly but was smiling.

Peter looked down at the floor. "Well, that kind of ruins my gift."

James raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah Wormy? What'd you get him?" Peter pointed to a yellow gift that had snitches flying all over it. James grabbed it and hauled it up to Lily.

With his mother's help Harry unwrapped Peter's gift and Lily held up a stuffed animal in the shape of a mouse. It had a red bow tie done around its neck and a brooch that had a picture of Harry on it. Obviously Peter had put a lot of thought into it. Lily smiled and hugged Peter, who blushed furiously. "Thanks Peter. That's really thoughtful."

Peter shrank into his chair but the shy smile never left his face ad it took several minutes before the blush left his cheeks.

"Your turn Padfoot!" James announced and dove for a blue gift with a red lion roaring loudly on it. Sirius got there first.

He yanked the gift from James and held it behind his back. "Umm… no… actually. I think I'll just get him something different. You know so…hey!"

Remus had accioed the gift from behind Sirius and handed it over to Lily. Sirius made to lunge for it again but James sat on his chest, effectively pinning him to the floor. Lily undid the tape holding the wrapping together and she gasped aloud at what was in the box.

"Sirius." Her tone was that of strained control.

"What did you do Padfoot?" James asked, still sitting atop the gift-giver.

Lily answered for Sirius by holding up a very small baby-sized leather jacket. All four marauders started laughing uncontrollably.

"I thought it would be cute." Sirius insisted.

Lily looked so disapproving that Sirius hastily added onto his explanation. "Wait Lils! It's a two-part gift. You missed the other present."

Lily reached back down into the box and retrieved a black dog-stuffed animal. The marauders all sat staring dumbly at each other.

"We didn't plan this did we?" Remus asked uncertainly.

"It is a little creepy." Peter added.

James shook his head. "Wait'll you see my gift."

James stood up, finally letting Sirius up off the floor. He returned with a present wrapped in silver paper and a green and red bow.

James knelt in front Harry and held out the gift. "Happy first Christmas Harry." With a wave of his wand the lid flew off and baby Harry was faced with a slivery cloak that shimmered when he reached out to touch it and a stag stuffed animal.

Remus went second and from the Potter's he received several new robes and a book on werewolf transformations. From Peter he got a new wand holster that had intricately carved designs of a wolf and several runes on it. Sirius got him a new quill and ink set including several inkbottles of invisible ink and inks in red and gold.

Sirius, as promised, went third and from Remus he got several books on Quidditch and a quaffle, having lost his many months ago. Peter got him fingerless motorcycle gloves and a leather jacket of his own. Lily, James, and Harry got him a pocket watch form the same makers as the Weasley's grandfather clock. The watch had five hands on it, one for Remus, Peter, Lily, James, and Harry.

Then it was Lily's turn and she got several new robes and books, which she accepted with delight.

Then Peter's turn and he got a lifetime's supply of joke supplies from Sirius and James and a new broomstick and ball set from Remus and Lily who had gone in together on the gift.

James received books on baby care from his wife, the latest book on Transfiguration from Remus, it had been James' favorite class in school, personalized Quidditch robes from Peter, and lastly a miniature model of Sirius' bike from.

It was agreed to be a great Christmas.

* * *

Several glasses of eggnog and one fabulous Christmas dinner later, Peter decided to leave. "I have to get home and see Mum. I forgot to drop off her gift today so I better do that." Everyone said their goodbyes and Peter left.

An hour after that Remus too, left. He left in his wake an empty plate that had once contained about a dozen cookies and had also belonged to Sirius. Obviously Sirius hadn't known about this latest treachery by Remus, who had just this morning, eaten his last Chocolate Frog and was inconsolable when he found the empty plate hidden under the couch.

When Harry fell asleep curled on the floor surrounded by his new stuffed animals, Lily called it a night and carried Harry upstairs. Even in his sleep he refused to surrender his new toys.

Sirius and James sat on the floor with their backs against the sofa. Each had a butterbeer in their hand and content smiles on their faces.

"Another Christmas well done Prongs." Sirius clinked his mug against James'.

James nodded. "Yeah, it was nice to see you guys again." The bespectacled man was watching the miniature motorcycle do spins and pop-wheelies on his open palm.

Sirius let his head back against the cushions and sighed deeply.

James raised an eyebrow and put the bike down, which then sped into a corner. "Something you want to talk about Padfoot?" He asked with the faintest of smiles.

Sirius grinned. "I thought that would get your attention. Okay, me and Peter were talking and he actually made a lot of sense."

"That's a first, what about?"

"That it's fairly obvious I'm your Secret Keeper. Anyone could tell. That's why I thought it would be brilliant if Peter were to replace me. No one would ever suspect Peter in a million years." Sirius tilted his head back and drained his mug.

James furrowed his brow and stared at the floor in deep concentration. "That does make some sense. I'll talk it over with Lily tomorrow. Why don't you tell Dumbldore and…"

"No!"

James looked quizzically at Sirius who continued along his lines of reasoning. "It's better if no one knows about the switch. Then there's no chance of it getting out. What do you say Prongs?"

"I say…all right. Be back here next week and we'll perform the Fedelis charm then."

Sirius grinned. "Excellent."

**Author's Note:**

Uh oh. Dun dun duuuun! Wasn't Draco cute? In case you can't tell, I'm also a Draco fan.

Next Chapter: The switch!

PLEASE REVIEW IT MAKES ME FEEL WARM AND FUZZY INSIDE


	10. Chapter 10: The Switch

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

**Chapter Ten: The Switch**

After much begging on James' part and much pleading on Sirius' part, Peter agreed to the switch, despite Peter being the one who had suggested the idea to Sirius in the first place.

Had either of James or Sirius been paying much attention to their long time friend they would have noticed some of the color leave his face as he hugged James or his increased sweating and twitching as he shook hands with Sirius.

Unluckily, though, they did not notice. They were too preoccupied with the arrangements for the Fedelis Charm, as it was a _very_ complicated procedure, James was glad that his family would be in safe hands. The days up until the switch things went as according to plan.

Within the next three days before the New Year, James and Lily arranged everything necessary for the Fedelis Charm in their home. Since Harry was to be present, Lily though it best to all the blood rituals and James, Sirius, and Peter were all too eager to oblige.

* * *

At exactly 11:30 P.M on December 29th of the year 1980 Sirius and Peter showed up at in front of the Potter's house, wrapped in cloaks and jackets against the bitter winter wind. Bowing their head against the snow flurry, they hurried into the warm living room. 

In the living room all the lights had been dimmed and the only light came from the dwindling fireplace. Sirius and Peter kneeled on the carpet across from each other. James knelt on their right and Lily with Harry on her lap, to their left, creating a circle.

James pulled his wand from his pocket and held it directly between his two friends.

"Tonight at 11:40 P.M in Godric's Hollow, I, James Tertius Potter, am to reverse the process of the Fedelis binding charm from one Sirius Valentine Black to be placed upon one Peter Thereon Pettigrew. Do you Peter Thereon promise henceforth to guard over and watch for the well beings of myself, Lily Claire, and Harry James?"

Peter eyes roved across the room, finally meeting James'. "I Peter Thereon Pettigrew do hereby promise to do so."

A snake of blue light unwound itself from around Sirius' middle and transferred itself to Peter's stomach.

"Do you swear to keep my home a secret from all who wish harm upon my family?" James continued, ignoring the haggard look that momentarily crossed Sirius' face.

"I do hereby swear it." Another rope of light shot from around Sirius' chest where it had coiled and wrapped itself around Peter.

Sirius let out a shaky sigh. James looked at him with concern and Lily reached out tentatively to touch Sirius' shoulder. James caught her wrist. "He cannot be touched during the process. It is draining part of his magic to release the bonds. He will be fine." Lily nodded and stroked Harry's head.

James turned back to Peter. His voice was harsher and his gaze was intense, Peter balked under the severe look. "Do you vow to keep my son from harm and danger whilst you surround him. To keep his location secret from the dark and to help us in care for his safety?"

Peter looked straight ahead and Sirius thought he noticed a faint detached look in his friend's eyes.

"I vow to do this." The final coil of light unwound itself from Sirius' neck. It moved in a slow arch across Harry and settled on Peter.

The clock stuck midnight. December 30th was coming into being.

James sighed heavily, closed his eyes, and lowered his wand. "It is done."

* * *

Lily helped James move Sirius from where he had collapsed shortly after the ritual, to the couch where she covered her long time friend's body with a large cotton blanket. 

Lily was not a dumb person. On the contrary, she was very smart and crafty when she needed to be. Top witch in her grade and excellent in potions where most Gryffindors had floundered. She considered herself fairly good at reading people.

Her husband, for example, was trying to hide the fact that he was shaking and had been affected by his participation in the ritual. His magic had to been drained from the complex wand work he had been required to do.

Lily stood up quietly and walked over to her husband. She took him by the forearm and led him to the armchair. He followed without protest.

She pushed him onto the chair and followed after, sinking into his lap. Lily reached up and kissed him once. She felt James relax beneath her and then the gentle rise and fall of his chest that signaled his sleep. Lily snuggled closer to her beloved and fell sound asleep, safe in his arms.

* * *

Wormtail scrabbled to his feet as he tripped over a tree root. He was walking quickly through a dense and dark forest. The nervous young man kept looking back over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being followed. He kept his hand on his pocket. 

In time he came to a cave. A steady fire was roaring, casting an orange glow onto the stone walls and on the bone white masks of the twenty or so people, cloaked all in black.. A hideous voice echoed around the cavern.

"Is it done Wormtail?" Peter fell to one knee before the figure and bowed his head low.

"Indeed my lord. The task is complete." The voice laughed and those with him laughed as well.

* * *

_**March 24th, 1981**_

Remus walked into his favorite bookstore with a smile on his face. It was late March and nothing had gone amiss in a while. The year of 1981 seemed to be getting off on the right foot.

Remus plucked a book off the shelf and smiled at the cover. The man on the cover brandished his sword before a mighty dragon. Just what Remus needed, a good adventure with a happy ending.

The young man opened to the first page and began to read.

The door behind Remus opened with a jingle and was slammed shut again. Remus started, almost dropping the book, and looked the shelves in front of him to view the front of the store. What he saw almost made him yelp.

Fenrir Greyback slammed his fist repeatedly onto the clerk's desk, growling that he wanted to see the manager immediately. The clerk was so frightened by the large and hairy figure in front of him that the poor man toppled backwards out of his chair and crawled on his knees to the back room to fetch the manager.

The werewolf smirked happily and leant against the counter, gazing out at the store. Suddenly Greyback's body went rigid and he inclined his nose to sniff the air. His head turned to the shelf that Remus was behind.

On instinct Remus pulled his head back and clutched the book to his chest.

Greyback smirked and walked towards the bookcases. Remus felt white-hot anger and cold terror wash over him at the same time, which was an odd feeling.

Greyback turned the corner and stood face-to-face with Remus.

Remus had to incline his head to look Greyback in the face, he was much taller than Remus. Greyback's smirk only grew wider. "Well well. If it isn't my favorite little half-breed."

Remus clutched the book harder to his chest to keep his hands still, for if he let go of the book he would probably hit Greyback. Then Remus was sure Greyback would have no qualms about fighting him here in the store and well; from there it would probably be a slaughter. Greyback didn't bother with wands.

"You know Lupin, your father was always too dumb to understand the qualities of joining with me. The advantages are endless. There's always room for one more in the Underground you know, if you were to acknowledge me as your undisputed leader and commander that is." Greyback leant against the bookcase with one hand and put the other on his waist, taunting Remus.

Fortunately Remus was to smart to rise to the bait. Scoffing loudly, Remus placed the book back on the shelf. A strand of dirty blonde hair fell into his eyes. "I wouldn't join with you for all the money in Gringott's vaults. You sicken me and you certainly don't scare me. What you did to my family was nothing but cowardice and senseless bullying. How much bravery did I take you to attack a four-year old by himself at night? On top of that, you were heartless enough to torment a harmless shopkeeper, and father, for thirteen more years before finally forcing him into bankruptcy and live the rest of his life wishing for more." Remus' eyes flashed cold steel as he spoke.

Greyback's eyes darkened and his hairy fists clenched. Luckily, the manager, who came scurrying to the front of the store to assist Greyback, interrupted what was sure to be a messy brawl.

Remus watched the two men depart to the back of the store. Well that settled it; this was the last time Remus shopped in that bookstore.

* * *

Sirius leaned back in his chair, propping it up on two legs. His desk was an absolute mess. Papers and several miscellaneous items were scattered across the tabletop and the surrounding floor area. 

Lily had always teased him about how messy he was but to Sirius, the clutter was an effective way to keep track of things. It was his organization system.

Whistling a random tune, Sirius pulled a pack of Every Flavored Beans out of his desk drawer. Also in the drawer were several packs of Licorice Wands and Sugar Quills. It was his secret stash of candy that he hidden from James, Peter, and Remus for years and Sirius was quite proud of his accumulated collection.

Sirius looked at the bean in his hand suspiciously. James had once offered him a cherry flavored bean in their second year and it had turned out to be blood flavored. Since then the young auror hadn't been too keen on the candy.

Sirius pulled a light green bean out of the box and tried to figure what flavor it could be. Lime, grass, or ugh, bogey flavor. Sirius grimaced but popped the candy into his mouth anyway. He always did like a challenge.

He sighed in relief and pulled out another bean of the same color. It had been lemon-lime and perfectly delicious. Sirius propped his feet up onto his desk and took a break.

It turned out to be a very short break because just at that moment Peter came by with a stack of papers, which he promptly dumped onto Sirius' desk.

Almost falling backwards out of his chair, Sirius picked up the first packet of sheets. "You have got to be kidding me Wormy. All of this?"

Peter nodded and with a smirk left the office leaving his distraught friend to his paperwork.

Sirius rubbed his eyes and put the candy away. It was time for him to actually work. '_When did Wormy gotten so damn evil? The little git knows this will take all day.'_ Sirius put in a call for a carryout dinner.

* * *

James spun Harry around in the air, watching his son laugh. 

"Pongs! Harry screamed with delight, waving his arms in the air. James laughed and tossed Harry up to the ceiling resulting in another loud squeal.

Lily came into the room with wide eyes just as Harry fell back into his father's arms.

"Please don't do that James!" Lily panted with a hand over her chest. "I almost had a heart attack!"

James laughed and tossed Harry again. Lily shrieked and dove as James caught Harry. The three rolled to the floor laughing. Harry tottered away form the pile to play with his quaffle and James took the opportunity to kiss his wife.

Lily made herself lie back into her husband's arms and not worry about the roast in the oven. Turning her head, she smiled to see Harry asleep on the floor with his head on the quaffle and one hand grasping the black dog stuffed animal Sirius had given him.

James' hands encircled her waist and pulled her close to him. "You know you don't have to worry so much. The switch is done, Sirius is out of danger. Peter is a good friend. He cares for us and best of all, no one would suspect him." James murmured sounding sleepy.

Lily frowned. "Well yes, but do you remember what Dumbledore said about a spy in the Order?" James nodded, his brow furrowing.

"What if it were Peter?" Lily looked up at her husband.

James laughed. He couldn't help it the idea was so absurd. "Don't be thick love. Peter? A Death Eater? That's ridiculous."

Lily closed her eyes. "I suppose your right. That was silly of me."

**Author's Note:**

I am back from vacation and ready to update! Did you all miss me?

Wow, I though this story was longer but there are only two more chapters left. I'm not sure if I'll post the sequel yet because it's not finished and I've lost a lot of inspiration for it. I dunno, things change. Hope you liked the chapter and as always, please review.

Next Chapter: I hate to say it but…Voldie pays a visit to Godric's

PLEASE REVIEW


	11. Chapter 11: The End as We Know It

Disclaimer: Me no own

**Chapter Eleven: The End As We Know It**

Halloween was Sirius' favorite holiday and it always had been. He loved dressing up and scaring people. He was infamous for his Halloween antics at Hogwarts. It was known as the day he broke the record for most detentions in one day, (Five, if you wanted to know).

In first year he had donned a Zorro mask.

Second year he had dressed up as Snivelly.

Third year he was a werewolf, much to Remus' displeasure.

Fourth year he'd dressed up as his mother and screeched at anybody who came close to him. Bella, Cissy, and Regulus had not been pleased.

Fifth year he'd gone as a big black dog, everyone thought his costume was very realistic.

Sixth year was the year he broke the record by dressing up as a ghoul and scaring the living daylights out of several first years, three house heads, and Filch who had used Mrs. Norris as a shield.

Seventh year was Sirius' personal favorite. He and the rest of the marauders had dressed up as Robin and his merry men, Sirius had been the dashing Will Scarlet, James had been Robin, Remus was Little John, and Peter was Friar Wormy. Everyone in the school got a kick out of that one.

Sirius was reliving these memories while enthusiastically chasing his tail. Round and round he went but he never could catch his tail.

Sirius sat down and reached up with his paw to vigorously scratch his ear. He let his tongue loll out of his mouth and bounded into a pile of freshly fallen leaves. The man who trying to place the leaves in a neat pile waved his rake at Sirius, who decided to move onto the playground to watch the costumed kids, for his own well being.

Remus was supposed to bring Harry to the park soon and for an hour the three could play while James and Lily decorated the house.

Sirius watched as a pumpkin chased a screaming milk carton through the monkey bars. Sirius rolled his eyes. these kids knew nothing about creativity. A Halloween costume had to be inspiring.

A dark haired boy came barreling through the playground at a break neck speed. Sirius barked his encouragement. This kid had style, his face was painted gold and wings were strapped to his back. If Sirius didn't know better he would swear that kid looked like a snitch.

Then the boy looked up and Sirius got a glimpse of green.

It was Harry! And behind him came Remus Lupin, smiling faintly at Harry's antics. Sirius wheezed in what could only be a laugh.

Harry caught sight of Sirius and came running over, latching himself onto Sirius' neck and squealing "Paddy!" Remus smiled at Sirius. "'Lo Pads, having fun?" Remus reached over to Sirius and brushed the dead leaves out of his friend's fur. The lopsided gin on the dog's face seemed to indicate that he was indeed enjoying himself.

* * *

"To another successful Halloween Moony." Sirius clinked his bottle to Remus'. 

"Yes, I imagine Harry will be tired after all that exercise today. Plus it gave James and Lils some 'alone time'."

Sirius pretended to vomit and drained the last of his firewhiskey. "Well, I best be off mate. See you at work?"

"Sure, see you Pads." Moony closed the door after his friend and stumbled to his bedroom yawning.

* * *

Sirius was walking down the sidewalk when he heard a faint buzzing noise. He looked around surprised. With a start he realized it was coming from his person. 

Sirius looked down at his wrist and flipped open his watch top.

Sirius was only vaguely aware of his insides completing freezing. His breath came shorter and he realized he was gasping. James', Lily's, and Harry's hands all pointed to 'mortal danger'.

Sirius was running for his motorbike before his brain could process what was happening.

* * *

"Lily! Lily run! Take Harry and go! He's coming!" All around James glass was breaking. The windows shattered, spraying James with scratchs. 

Lily ran upstairs clinging Harry to her and covering his head.

James heard horribly chilling laughter. He didn't understand it. Where were the wards? What had happened to Peter? The door blasted off its hinges, narrowly missing James but demolishing the kitchen wall.

"James Potter."

James made a grab for his wand but the other figure was quicker, much quicker.

"_Crucio_!"

James fell over backwards resisting the urge to scream out loud. His wand fell from his hand.

"_Avada Ked_…"

James' hand curled around Harry's quaffle. The ball connected with Voldemort's head and the curse crashed into the couch, incinerating it.

James scrambled for his wand but Voldemort recovered quicker than James had hoped.

"_Petrificus Totalus_!"

James felt his limbs go numb and he crashed helplessly to the floor.

Voldemort stepped into James' line of view. "Goodbye James Potter. _Avada Kedavra_!"

James saw a flash of green and then all turned black.

* * *

Lily was trying to open the window in Harry's bedroom. It was shut tight from the outside. Nothing she could do, no charm she could cast, would make the window budge. 

She heard footsteps on the stairs and the door bent over backwards to allow the person into the room. "No." Lily gasped and pulled Harry to her. Her green eyes were staring at the man before them.

"James." Lily felt tears sting her eyes. James was dead. He had to be if _he _had gotten this far. Lily lifted her wand at Voldemort. "Leave my home!"

He laughed. Lily shivered and her hand shook. She would not let this…thing… hurt Harry.

"Step aside girl." Voldemort raised his wand.

"No, no you can't have Harry. Please no." Lily pleaded. Her hand was shaking but she refused to surrender her son.

"_Avada Kedavara!"_

Lily hit the floor and Harry rolled away from her. "MAMA!" He shrieked, tears streamed down his cheeks.

Voldemort turned to Harry. "So ends the prophecy. I live forever; no mere boy will end my reign. To a new era, Harry Potter."

Then Voldemort raised his wand and uttered the two most fatal words known to the wizarding world.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

The curse collided with Harry's forehead, sending the boy flying backwards. Voldemort laughed, sensing triumph but the murderous being tensed again. In the next second there was a terrific shock wave from Harry's still body that was sent right back at Voldemort.

"NO!" The Dark Lord bellowed as he threw his arms up in front of his face.

The house collapsed, completely flattened.

A dark silhouette shrank into the night, nothing more than a shadow.

A motorbike roared through the night sky at a reckless speed.

* * *

Sirius saw the house before he landed. The wards were gone, there was nothing but broken wood. He landed and leapt off the bike, letting it crash to the ground. 

"No. Please no!" Sirius was frantic. He flipped his watch open, Deceased.

"No." Sirius ran through the bent gates.

"James! Lily!" Sirius tripped over a piece of wood and fell to his knees. "Please don't let it be true!" Sirius cried, tears poured off his face, soaking his shirtfront. He gave a cry of anguish and buried his head in hands.

A large hand landed on Sirius' shoulder and he jumped to his feet giving a shout of surprise. It was Hagrid and he was staring at Sirius through tear-brimmed eyes. Sirius imagined he didn't' look much better, his face was red and dirty and tears continued to carve a path down his face.

"Sirius I…" Hagrid stopped there. What could he say? There was nothing that would ever make Sirius feel better. He was hollow, numb.

Suddenly an ear-splitting cry cut through the air. "Harry?" Sirius was running before Hagrid could stop him.

"Harry!" Sirius cradled the boy to his chest. There was blood on Harry's forehead but otherwise he seemed okay.

"Unbelievable." Sirius marveled at the little boy. They weren't all gone; Harry hadn't left him. But his brother had, his brother, James.

"Sirius, Dumbledore's asked me to bring Harry to 'im. Please Sirius." It was beginning to rain. Sirius gazed at Harry through blurry eyes, not seeming to hear Hagrid.

"No."

Hagrid looked taken back. "What do ya mean no? Dumbeldeore's said…"

"I don't care what Dumbeldore said! You're not taking Harry from me! I'm his godfather. I'm responsible for him."

Sirius got up from his knees, his eyes never once leaving Harry's face.

"Sirius be reasonable. Whatever Dumbledore's planning is sure to…" "I won't let him take Harry!" Sirius' cried out, Hargid jumped at the outburst.

Suddenly, Sirius let out a heart-wrenching sob, his cry cut through the still night. Sirius buried his face into Harry's hair and his back shook with his sobs. Hagrid put a large hand awkwardly onto Sirius' shoulder and tried to offer some comfort.

"Here. T-Tell Dumbledore to look after him. Please." Sirius shoved Harry at Hagrid, his eyes burning.

"What are you going ter do?" Hagrid asked with a concern in his voice. "I'm not sure." Sirius answered honestly and walked away.

Hagrid looked after him with concerned eyes. Harry squirmed and cried out after Sirius, wanting him to come back.

* * *

Sirius walked until Hagrid was a blur in the distance. He swiped his sleeve across his face angrily. He wasn't looking where he was going and his foot caught something and he stumbled to the ground. Sirius turned around and looked into James' dead face. 

Sirius choked and crawled backwards. "I didn't know!" Sirius cried getting to his feet and he ran away from the corpse. "Forgive me James." He couldn't bear to see his lively friend look so pale and stiff, James' hazel eyes were deadened and not dancing with mirth like Sirius had so often seen them.

Sirius got onto his bike and flew away, leaving the devastation behind him. When he found Peter, he was going to make sure he regretted what he had done. He had not just killed a friend, he had killed a brother.

**Author's Note:**

I'm sorry. I had to do it. I know, sad right?

Next Chapter: This is _it_ folks. The ending, the final chapter. The fate of poor Sirius as we all know it to be and a betrayal by a friend.

PLEASE REVIEW BECAUSE THIS WAS AN EMOTIONAL CHAPTER AND EVERYONE WHO READS THIS STORY WANTS TO TELL ME HOW MUCH THEY LIKED IT AND HOW MANY TEARS WERE SHED WHILE READING IT. I KNOW YOU DO, YOU CAN'T HIDE THE TRUTH!


	12. Chapter 12: Traitorous Dealings

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

**Chapter Twelve: Traitorous Dealings**

Peter walked down a street in muggle London feeling very safe. His part in the whole scheme to kill the Potters was over. All he had to do now was wait to reap the benefits from his Lord.

Until then Peter would wait in London until he was contacted, no one would find him here, especially not two young men who were sure to have a vendetta against him.

Peter heard the far off sounds of a motorcycle engine and his hand tensed near his pocket. Then, laughing quietly to himself, Peter forced himself to relax. It was silly to think that Sirius could find him here. It was probably just some young muggle brat trying to show off for group of giggly little girls.

The traitor kept his gaze down at the cracked pavement. Unexpectedly, Peter bumped into something and raised his arm to swat at the person blocking his path.

The person in his way was sitting on top of a motorcycle; Peter's mouth fell open.

Sirius was staring at him, his gaze full of hatred. He looked like he had been through hell and back, his clothes were dirty and ripped, his jacket wrinkled almost beyond recognition. His face was smudged with ash and his eyes were red rimmed.

"Wormtail, so good to see you in such excellent health." Sirius stepped off of his bike.

Peter backed away, taking his hand from his pocket. "Now Sirius, let's be rational."

Sirius pulled his wand from his pocket. So far no muggles had noticed them, which would work to Sirius' advantage. "Why Peter? They were your friends. They trusted you."

Peter laughed. "You mean they trusted you."

Sirius looked taken aback. He halted in his attack for a moment and Peter leapt at the opening. "Honestly Sirius. Did you think there would be no repercussions? I've come to settle this score. You'll regret what you've done to Lily and James!"

Sirius was very confused by this time, his eyebrows raised almost to his hairline but his wand was still leveled at Peter's chest.

Peter's smirk grew wider; an idea had formed in his twisted mind, a plan to take care of Sirius and investigation towards him.

Sirius shook off his confusion and advanced on Peter again, his face livid.

Peter whipped out a knife before Sirius could react and severed one of his own fingers. Sirius recoiled from the sight, his wand shaking in his grasp. Howling in pain, Peter slashed downwards with his wand and everything exploded.

Sirius held his arms up in front of his face and held onto his wand. The force of he blast swept Sirius off his feet and threw him onto the street.

It was absolute chaos, screams and fire erupted around Sirius, his bike flew past him and crashed into a shop on the other side of the street. More debris followed but never hit Sirius.

Feeling the heat subside, Sirius slowly lowered his arms. His jacket sleeves had been reduced to rags; Sirius shrugged it off, leaving him in a tattered t-shirt and surveyed the damage.

It looked like a bomb had detonated; the street was completely decimated. People were lying everywhere in piles everywhere, some moving and moaning, others not moving at all.

Sirius had to wonder how he had managed to survive a point blank blast with just burns and cuts. The animagus turned to where Peter had been and saw a single object lying on the ground. In that instant, Sirius knew what had happened.

Little Peter had done all of this damage. The blast hadn't killed Sirius because Peter hadn't intended it to. Sirius was supposed to take the fall for the little rat when the aurors came swarming to the scene.

An image of Peter at Hogwarts swam into Sirius' mind, a pudgy little boy, quick to grin, and so eager to follow James and himself around. Peter worshipped them, but he had brought about both their demises.

Comparing the Peter from then with the Peter he had just witnessed were two completely different people. This new Peter was a killer, a murderer. The thought of this dangerous Peter made Sirius laugh, he couldn't help it, it was so unthinkable.

Sirius was grabbed by the shoulders and he felt his wand ripped from his fist. "Wait." Sirius tried to protest, to tell the truth, but he was stupefied before he could form the words.

The aurors swept across the scene, Kinsley Shacklebolt was among them. He looked at Sirius' still body and then at the damage surrounding him. Kingsley shook his head disgustedly. A silver motorbike caught his eye. He knew it was Sirius'. He had showed it off often enough. Suddenly consumed with a rage that frightened him, Kingsley kicked the bike because he couldn't kick Sirius himself.

* * *

Remus ran into Order headquarters, his hair still wet from the shower. "Professor! Is it true? Please, please tell me it isn't!"

Albus Dumbledore stared back at Remus through dead eyes. "I'm afraid it is Remus."

Remus buried his head in hands. Dumbledore didn't move, after all, how do you comfort someone whose world has just fallen apart?

"James and Lily. They're?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I'm sorry."

"What about Sirius and Peter? And Harry?" Remus lifted his head. "Oh Merlin. Harry!"

"Harry is fine Remus. He is being taken care of." Albus lifted his mug to his lips, his sparkling blue eyes deadened.

Remus lifted his head wearily, his face incredulous. "He's okay, honest? Can I see him?"

Albus shook his head in apology. "It is best if you not see Harry now or ever again."

Remus stared at the floor. "Peter?"

"Dead."

Remus let out a strangled cry. "Sirius?"

"Sirius is alive, although a little worse for wear." Remus looked up hopefully. "He is being taken to ministry holding cells as we speak."

Remus shot up, his face a mask of fury. "What! Why?"

Dumbledore did not want to tell Remus this. "Sirius has been accused of murder on thirteen counts. Including that of Peter Pettigrew and an accomplice in the murders of James and Lily Potter."

Remus clutched the table, he felt like he was going to be sick. "No."

Dumbledore looked up to see Remus with his jaw set and his eyes closed tightly. His expression made it look as if he were in pain.

"Remus, I am so very sorry. There was a street full of witnesses. We all knew he was their secret keeper."

Remus stormed out of the room, he couldn't bear to hear anymore.

Dumbledore leant forward and rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

* * *

Sirius had lost count of the days. He hadn't shaved in a while, he wasn't hungry anymore, and he was cold all the time. At night he was tormented with images of James' corpse.

He wanted to scream the truth but he knew it wouldn't do any good. No one believed him, they had proven that when they threw him in here without even a trial.

Damn Crouch. Damn Peter. Peter. Sirius hit the wall with his fist. It was Peter's fault. If he ever found Peter, that rat would wish he had died with James. The door at the end of the hallway opened and light flooded in. Several shrieks of protest rose up from Sirius' inmates.

Sirius stood as a guard approached his cell. "Black?"

Sirius nodded confused.

"You have a visitor."

Bartemius Crouch strutted over to the cell. Sirius leant against the bars, waiting for the other man to speak first. Crouch glared at the man in front of him. Never in all his life had he despised a man so much. "Black, it has been decided by a unanimous vote that you are to be transferred to Azkaban Prison tomorrow."

Sirius lunged forward shouting. Crouch took a step back, his face an impassive mask. The guard took a step forward drawing his wand.

"How can you do that? I haven't had a trial!" Sirius growled, his fists wrapped tight around the bars.

Crouch laughed. "You don't need a trial. We have witnesses as well as bodies." Crouch looked at Sirius. "I honestly was rooting for the Kiss right off but the Wizenmagot seemed to think that was bit to harsh." Crouch looked Sirius up and down like he was looking at something unpleasant on the bottom of his shoe. "Harsh my arse. I have never met someone who deserved a visit with the dementors more, you sicken me and you deserves everything that's coming to you."

Crouch turned to leave. This was Sirius' only chance, his last opportunity to plead his case. "Wait! I'm innocent! Please, you have to believe me!"

Crouch didn't turn around and continued out of the prison. Sirius put his head against the steel bars. "But I'm innocent." He whispered quietly to himself.

* * *

Molly Weasley dabbed at her eyes with the corner of the checkered tablecloth. It was so sad, the Potters were dead, and that poor little boy was orphaned.

The shouts and laughter of her own children floated to her from the open window. It was a warm autumn day and the kids were taking advantage of it the unseasonably warm weather. Charlie was teaching the twins how to ride broomsticks, Percy was reading to Ron and newborn Ginny from a picture book and Bill was skipping rocks across the pond with varying success.

Molly had to smile. They were all so full of life. What would she do if they were all to disappear like Harry had? Molly sighed and straightened her apron, if any of her kids vanished she would probably go crazy with worry.

Suddenly Bill's voice was shouting the loudest, even drowning out the laughter of the twins as they tried to knock each other off their toy brooms.

Molly looked up from her thoughts as Bill came crashing through the door.

"It came! It came!" Her oldest son's face was flushed with joy. Molly stood up, wiping her face as Bill hurried to show his mother the letter clutched in his hand.

"Mum! It came! My letter came!" Molly smiled and embraced her eldest son who didn't want to hold still.

"That's wonderful dear. Looks like we'll have to go shopping soon. Why don't you go show your brothers." Bill's face lit up and he ran back outside to show the others who had gathered curiously by the back door.

Even in these desolate times, Molly thought, there were still those bright spots. She put the cooking tray in the oven and smiled. She could always count on her kids to cheer her up.

The End

**Author's Note:**

There might or might not be a sequel. Keep looking but it shouldn't be up for maybe a month or so if I do want to put it up. The ending was originally so sad that I decided to put in some Weasey jollyness to end the story on a good note.

Thanks everyone who reviewed, Kendra- the hyper one, wolffanforever, and blah blah

PLEASE REVIEW BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY TO GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE STORY.


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